Louisiana Officials Charged in Immigration Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme
A sweeping federal indictment has been unsealed against five individuals, including current and former Louisiana law enforcement officers, alleging their involvement in a years-long scheme to exploit the U.S. immigration system. The charges, part of “Operation Take Back America,” include conspiracy, bribery, and immigration fraud, as the defendants are accused of fraudulently obtaining hundreds of U-Visas. Businessman Chandrakant Patel is alleged to have orchestrated the scheme by collecting payments from foreign nationals and coordinating with law enforcement officers to create false police reports. These false reports, detailing fabricated armed robberies, allowed foreign nationals and their families to remain in the United States under false pretenses, while the conspirators laundered money earned through the scheme.