Prosecutors and defense attorneys are discussing a potential plea agreement for a man accused of staging armed robberies to help purported victims get U.S. immigration visas reserved for crime victims.
Parth Nayi, one of six people accused in the scheme, entered into settlement talks along with two co-defendants who allegedly paid Nayi to stage robberies so they could claim immigration visas reserved for victims of crimes who cooperate with police. The two co-defendants in plea talks are Nilesh Patel and Rajnikumar Patel, according to court records.
Prosecutors said Parth Nayi, a 26-year-old from Woodridge, Illinois, and Kewon Young, a 31-year-old from Mansfield, Ohio, allegedly organized the scheme from July 2022 through January.
Prosecutors said they participated in staged armed robberies at restaurants, coffee shops, liquor stores, and gas stations in Chicago and the suburbs of Lombard, Elmwood Park, St. Charles, Hickory Hills, River Grove, Lake Villa, and South Holland, and restaurants in Rayne, La., and Belvidere, Tenn.
The indictment alleges four people paid Nayi thousands of dollars to be purported victims. The four charged were Bhikhabhai Patel, Nilesh Patel, Ravinaben Patel, and Rajnikumar Patel. The arrangement was so that they could submit applications for U nonimmigrant status. Such “U-visas” are set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in an investigation or prosecution, according to the indictment. […]
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