Ahmedabad Times

Who’re the accused?

The accused embody Chandrakant Patel, Chad Doyle, Michael Slaney and Tebo Onishea, who admitted their roles, in keeping with a doc launched by the Inside Income Service of the US authorities. The defendants had been indicted on 2 July 2025. Glynn Dixon, Chad Doyle, Tebo Onishea and Michael Slaney every resist 5 years in jail, whereas Patel might resist 20 years.

On the time of the offences, Doyle was the Oakdale Chief of Police, Slaney was the Ward 5 Oakdale Marshal, Dixon was the Forest Hill Chief of Police, and Onishea was the Glenmora Chief of Police. Patel was a businessman.

On conspirators pleading responsible in courtroom, the US Legal professional Zachary A Keller stated, “These defendants’ disgraceful fraud endangered our neighborhood and undermined the general public belief within the immigration system solely to line their very own pockets. These responsible pleas verify the depth of corruption uncovered right here and the power of the proof developed throughout an unimaginable investigation by our legislation enforcement companions working collectively, and our Workplace appears to be like ahead to advocating for jail time for every defendant that displays the seriousness of the crimes they dedicated.”

How U-Visas had been misused by former police chiefs

Based on courtroom paperwork, the accused ran the U-Visa fraud scheme between December 2015 and July 2025 by creating pretend police stories for armed robberies that by no means happened, confirmed by the IRS.

Prosecutors alleged that overseas nationals paid businessman Chandrakant Patel 1000’s of {dollars} to be listed as victims. Patel then labored with police officers to acquire false police stories, which had been used to assist fraudulent U-Visa functions.

Courtroom data verify that Patel tried to bribe an officer from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Workplace with $5,000 in February 2025 to acquire a pretend report. The accused can be charged with mail fraud for sending cast paperwork by means of the US Postal Service and different carriers. US Legal professional Zachary A Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.

“HSI is dedicated to defending the integrity of our immigration system and lawful immigration advantages,” stated Matt Wright, Appearing Particular Agent in Cost of Homeland Safety Investigations, New Orleans. “When anybody, together with public officers, exploits immigration aid packages or commits fraud towards the federal government, HSI and our legislation enforcement companions will examine, dismantle these schemes, and work to convey these accountable to justice.”

“Mr. Patel and his legislation enforcement co-conspirators corrupted the method that helps precise victims of violent crime to permit individuals to stay in our nation underneath an alleged fraud.” stated Particular Agent in Cost Jonathan Tapp of the FBI’s New Orleans Subject Workplace.

The investigation was carried out by the Inside Income Service – Legal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Citizenship and Immigration Providers (USCIS) Fraud Detection and Nationwide Safety Division.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorneys John W Nickel and Danny Siefker, with assist from paralegal specialists Joanne Henry-Mills and Denise Duhon.

The investigation was performed underneath the Homeland Safety Job Power as a part of Operation Take Again America, a nationwide federal initiative involving the Division of Justice and Division of Homeland Safety.