- Five former US law enforcement officials have admitted their roles in a decade-long U-Visa fraud scheme.
- Prosecutors say fake armed robbery reports were created to support fraudulent visa applications.
- Four former police chiefs and a businessman now face prison after pleading guilty.
A decade-long scheme that allegedly used fake armed robbery reports to secure US visas for foreign nationals has ended with five former law enforcement officials pleading guilty, exposing what prosecutors describe as a major abuse of the country's immigration system.
The US U-Visa fraud case centres on a programme created to protect victims of serious crimes who assist law enforcement. Prosecutors allege that instead of helping genuine victims, the accused fabricated police reports so foreign nationals could apply for immigration benefits they were not entitled to receive.
Those who have pleaded guilty include former police chiefs Glynn Dixon, Chad Doyle and Tebo Onishea, former Oakdale Marshal Michael Slaney, and businessman Chandrakant Patel. The five were indicted on July 2, 2025.
A programme meant for victims
The U-Visa programme was introduced in 2000 to encourage victims of qualifying crimes to cooperate with investigators without fear of deportation. Eligible applicants must have been victims of certain offences in the US and be willing to assist law enforcement during investigations or prosecutions.
According to court documents, the conspiracy ran between December 2015 and July 2025. Prosecutors allege that foreign nationals paid Patel thousands of dollars to be falsely identified as victims of armed robberies that had never occurred. Patel then allegedly worked with law enforcement officials to obtain fabricated police reports, which were submitted in support of U-Visa applications.
Court records also allege that Patel attempted to bribe an officer with the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office with $5,000 to obtain another false police report. He also faces mail fraud charges linked to the distribution of forged documents through postal and courier services.
At the time of the alleged offences, Doyle served as Oakdale Chief of Police, Dixon was Forest Hill Chief of Police, Onishea led the Glenmora Police Department, while Slaney was Ward 5 Oakdale Marshal.
Officials call it a betrayal of public trust
Under the plea agreements, Dixon, Doyle, Onishea and Slaney each face up to five years in prison, while Patel could face up to 20 years if convicted on all applicable charges.
US Attorney Zachary A Keller reportedly said the defendants had undermined public trust and abused the immigration system for financial gain. He added that prosecutors would seek prison sentences reflecting the seriousness of the offences.
Matt Wright, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, reportedly said the agency remains committed to protecting the integrity of lawful immigration programmes and investigating anyone who exploits them.
Jonathan Tapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office, reportedly said the accused had corrupted a system intended to help genuine victims of violent crime.
The investigation involved the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Jay Gotraxx
Sunil Tolanixx