Posted on 07/17/2025 7:40:54 AM PDT by aquila48
A group of current or former Louisiana police chiefs and the operator of a Subway sandwich shop are accused of colluding in a decade-long scheme to falsify police reports to help foreign nationals get visas meant for crime victims or witnesses.
A federal grand jury returned a 62-count indictment charging two police chiefs, a former police chief, a marshal and the restaurant operator on charges including bribery, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and immigration fraud, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.
The scheme focused on getting U visas, which allow foreign nationals without any official status in the US to stay in the country in certain circumstances when they’re victims of or witnesses to crimes, acting US Attorney Alexander Van Hook of the Western District of Louisiana said.
U visas are important in helping law enforcement solve cases, Van Hook said. But the US limits the number of U visas that can be issued, and fraudulent applications can prevent legitimate crime victims or witnesses from getting a visa.
The store operator allegedly paid $5,000 to officers to create false police reports claiming dozens of people were the victims of crimes, Van Hook said. The collusion allegedly took place from December 2015 to July 2025, the prosecutor’s office said.
The defendants and charges include:
– Subway sandwich store operator Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, of Oakdale, Louisiana, who is charged with bribery, mail fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit visa fraud
– Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, who is charged with visa fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit visa fraud
– Michael “Freck” Slaney, a marshal in Oakdale who is charged with visa fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit visa fraud
– Police Chief Glynn Dixon of Forest Hill, Louisiana,.....
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Louisiana just maintaining their grip on the most corrupt state government in the union. Which is quite a feat with Iliinois running a close second.
62 counts at $5,000 is $310,000 devided by 3 officers. Was it worth it?
Interesting that the guy that PAID the bribes is also charged. doesn’t happen too often?
Keep pulling out the vile weeds...root and stem. Get it all.
Corruption in Louisiana? Shocking.
Seize everything they have.
“62 counts at $5,000 is $310,000 devided by 3 officers. Was it worth it?”
_________________
But the investigation is still ongoing and many more will be added:
Excerpt:
“This is a very, very significant case. It’s not two or three people. There are hundreds of names, and we’ll get into more of those as the case unwinds in court,” the prosecutor said.
‘When I’m saying there’s hundreds of names, those visas were approved.”
An example of evidence that begs for attention. (snort)
Corruption in Louisiana? WUT!!! Carlos Marcello is spinning in his grave.
I asked a guy whose last name was Patel about this. Many Indians who lived in “the country” didn’t have formal last names or any recordkeeping. When they moved to the city, they needed a last name. The Patels were a wealthy and powerful family in India. So, they picked “Patel” just like we would pick “Rockefeller”. Don’t know how true this is but this is the story I got.
So now, Patel is a very common last name in India.
3 officers is probably the whole police force.
Oakdale is a small out of the way town.
Sounds plausible, and there are likely variations on the theme. Reputable sources advise the name is as common as our use of "Brown" or "Smith".
In this instance, the civilian ring leader of this gang was named "Patel" and he must have thought, "If it worked getting a visa for me, it will probably work again."
The article claims LE looked at hundreds of names, but the indictment is limited to 24 "Patel"s - which, it turns out, ChatGPT suggests is statistically appropriate. The intent may have been to make it easy on the grand jury.
One hopes those who swore they were victims and paid for the bogus visas are no longer viewed as "victims" as CNN does here, but are quickly deported.
bttt
Made their fortune in shady motels I’m sure.
POS like that would sell their mother for dog food if the price is right and some wonder why things going to hell at a high rate of speed.
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