A federal grand jury in Lafayette, Louisiana, has returned a 62-count indictment against Indian-origin businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, three current or former police chiefs, and Oakdale city marshal Michael Slaney. They are accused of a years-long conspiracy involving visa fraud, bribery, mail fraud, and money laundering .

Prosecutors allege Patel orchestrated the scheme by paying $5,000 per individual to officers - including Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Forest Hill chief Glynn Dixon, and former Glenmora chief Tebo Onishea - to file false armed robbery reports listing immigrants as crime victims. These fabricated reports were used to support U‑visa applications - intended to protect immigrant crime survivors . Patel also secured a visa for himself under false pretenses in 2023 .

The scam reportedly produced hundreds of bogus reports over nearly a decade, drawing scrutiny after USCIS flagged red flags last year . Patel and four officials were arrested; only Patel remains in custody currently. Paulsen faces up to 20 years in prison per count, with fines reaching $250,000 .

This exposure of law enforcement corruption underscores vulnerabilities in the U‑visa system and intensifies calls for stronger fraud oversight .