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.

If convicted, the defendants each face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years on the visa fraud charges, and up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge. If convicted of bribery, Patel faces up to 10 years in prison.

?In addition, they could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000 on each count,? the prosecutor?s office said.

It is not immediately clear if the defendants have legal representation or when they?re due in court.

The wife of the current Oakdale police chief was also arrested and charged with two state counts of malfeasance in office Thursday for conspiring with Patel ?to manipulate the bidding process for two city-owned properties,? a news release from the Louisiana State Police said.

CNN has reached out to the Louisiana State Police and the Allen Parish District Attorney?s office for more information. CNN has attempted to reach out to the wife for comment and it is not clear if she has legal representation.

?The armed robberies never took place?

Authorities noticed ?a large number of armed robberies of people that were not from Louisiana and in some of our smaller communities in Louisiana, and (defendants) were alleging that those people were victims of armed robberies,? Van Hook said.

?In fact, the armed robberies never took place. And those listed in the applications were never victims of crime. Instead, these people would pay Mr. Patel, who would in turn pay Doyle, Slaney, Dixon and Onishea to create false police reports so that fraudulent visa applications could be submitted to the United States government.?

Patel himself was granted a U visa in 2023 ?based on his alleged status as a victim of armed robbery,? according to a 21-page indictment filed in federal court this month.

The indictment also lists the first initials and last names of 24 alleged victims ? all of whom have the surname Patel. It was not immediately clear if any of those foreign nationals are related to the Subway store operator.

?There are hundreds of names?

Almost 200 law enforcement officers executed 11 search warrants Tuesday as part of the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune said.

Two of the police chiefs were arrested while attending a conference in Baton Rouge Tuesday, DeLaune said.

Van Hook said it?s possible hundreds of visa applicants might be involved, and the investigation isn?t over.

?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.? (CNN, but headline rejigged)

? U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announces charges against current and former police officers at a news conference in Lafayette, La., July 16, 2025

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