Boston, March 16 -- Eleven Indian nationals have been indicted in the United States for their alleged involvement in a fraudulent conspiracy to orchestrate staged armed robberies aimed at helping individuals secure illegitimate immigration status.

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the charges on Friday. According to prosecutors, the defendants "participated in staged armed robberies of convenience stores for the purpose of allowing store clerks to falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications."

The illicit operation reportedly commenced around March 2023. Federal investigators allege that Rambhai Patel and his associates coordinated faked heists at various convenience sto...