New Delhi, April 10 -- The US Department of Justice on Friday said 10 Indian nationals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for their alleged involvement in a scheme to stage "armed robberies" at convenience stores, enabling store clerks to falsely claim victim status in immigration applications.

The accused had earlier been charged through a criminal complaint in March this year, it noted.

Prosecutors allege that these fake robberies were carried out to enable store clerks to falsely claim they were victims of violent crimes when applying for U non-immigrant status, or U visas. These visas are granted to individuals who have suffered mental or physical abuse as victims of certain crimes and who assist law enforcement in...