LOUISIANA— Five former US law enforcement officials, including four former police chiefs, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a long-running conspiracy that prosecutors say exploited the U-Visa program to fraudulently obtain immigration benefits for foreign nationals.
The scheme allegedly relied on fabricated armed robbery reports created over nearly a decade to support visa applications that did not qualify under US law.
The guilty pleas mark a significant development in one of the largest known U-Visa fraud investigations involving public officials in the United States.
Federal prosecutors said the conspiracy undermined the integrity of an immigration program designed to protect genuine crime victims while helping authorities investigate and prosecute criminal offenses.
U-Visa Fraud Investigation
According to the US Department of Justice, the conspiracy operated between December 2015 and July 2025.
Investigators alleged that businessman Chandrakant Patel worked with several law enforcement officials to create false police reports describing armed robberies that never occurred.
Foreign nationals reportedly paid Patel thousands of dollars to be listed as victims of these fabricated crimes.
The fraudulent reports were then used to support U-Visa applications, allowing applicants to seek legal immigration benefits intended only for victims who cooperate with law enforcement.
The officials who pleaded guilty include former police chiefs Glynn Dixon, Chad Doyle, and Tebo Onishea, along with former Ward 5 Oakdale Marshal Michael Slaney. Patel also admitted his role in the conspiracy.
Federal prosecutors stated that Dixon, Doyle, Onishea, and Slaney each face prison sentences of up to five years, while Patel could receive up to 20 years because of additional charges.
Court documents further revealed that Patel allegedly attempted to bribe a Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office officer with $5,000 in early 2025 to obtain another fraudulent police report.
Prosecutors also charged Patel with mail fraud after investigators found forged documents had been sent through the US Postal Service and commercial delivery companies.
Federal Investigation Into Fraud
US Attorney Zachary A. Keller said the defendants abused positions of public trust for personal financial gain while damaging confidence in the nation’s immigration system. He added that prosecutors intend to seek prison sentences that reflect the seriousness of the offenses.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) emphasized that immigration relief programs exist to protect legitimate victims of crime and should never be manipulated for financial profit.
Officials said agencies will continue investigating anyone who attempts to exploit federal immigration benefits through fraud.
The FBI also stated that the alleged scheme diverted protections away from genuine victims by corrupting a process specifically established to assist people affected by violent crimes.
Authorities noted that preserving the credibility of immigration programs remains a national enforcement priority.
Immigration Impact on U-Visa
The U-Visa program was introduced in 2000 to encourage victims of qualifying crimes to cooperate with law enforcement without fearing deportation.
Eligible applicants must demonstrate that they suffered a qualifying offense and assisted investigators or prosecutors during the criminal justice process.
Federal authorities said the investigation involved the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security Division, Indian Express reported.
The case was prosecuted under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative targeting immigration-related fraud and other federal crimes.
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