A federal judge has sentenced 29-year-old Parth Nayi to two years in prison for his role as a primary orchestrator in an elaborate nationwide conspiracy that faked hundreds of robberies to secure legal residency for foreign nationals. Nayi, a resident of Woodridge, Illinois, was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud.
The scheme focused on exploiting the Nonimmigrant U-Visa program, a humanitarian pathway established by the Department of Homeland Security for victims of specific crimes who have suffered significant mental or physical abuse. Under the law, these visas are granted to individuals who assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. A U-Visa typically allows the holder to remain in the United States for four years and can eventually lead to an application for a green card or residency for family members.
According to federal prosecutors, the conspiracy involved thousands of participants who posed as victims. These individuals paid Nayi and his co-conspirators between $5,000 and $30,000 each to be included in the staged incidents. The goal was to obtain the police reports and law enforcement certifications necessary to satisfy the U-Visa application requirements.
The staged crimes were carried out at various commercial locations, including Subway and Dunkin’ franchises in the Chicago area, a Subway location in Rayne, Louisiana, and a truck stop in Belvidere, Tennessee. Court records indicate the operations were active between July 2022 and January 2024. Nayi managed the logistics alongside Kewon Young, who also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges earlier this year. Together, the men recruited other individuals to play the role of the robbers.
To ensure the crimes appeared legitimate to responding officers, the orchestrators directed the actors to brandish what appeared to be firearms and demand money or property from the purported victims. In some instances, the fake robbers were instructed to strike the participants to create the appearance of physical struggle or injury.
However, the orchestrated deception turned genuinely violent in July 2023 during a staged incident at Bucktown Food & Liquor in Chicago. During that event, an attendant was shot in the abdomen by one of the hired robbers. While the attendant survived the shooting, the incident highlighted the extreme risks created by the conspiracy. Five other individuals at the scene were also designated as fake victims during that specific incident.
Several individuals who sought visas through the scheme have also faced legal consequences. Bhikhabhai Patel, Nilesh Patel, and Ravinaben Patel all entered guilty pleas for their participation in the conspiracy. Another participant, Rajnikumar Patel, was recently found guilty by a jury.
The case marks a significant development in ongoing federal efforts to target large-scale visa fraud. While much recent focus has been placed on employment-based fraud, such as that involving H-1B visas, this prosecution demonstrates the increasing scrutiny of humanitarian visa channels that rely on the integrity of local law enforcement reporting.
