Hundreds of staged armed robberies helped thousands pose as crime victims in US immigration scam: DOJ

An Illinois man has been sentenced to two years in prison for organising hundreds of staged armed robberies to help people falsely claim crime-victim protections under the US U-visa programme. Prosecutors say thousands paid to pose as victims and apply for visas, exploiting a scheme intended to protect people who suffered serious crimes and assist law enforcement.

The staged robberies took place at small businesses around Chicago and elsewhere, with alleged participants coached to submit police reports and immigration forms. Prosecutors say purported victims paid as much as $30,000; during one incident, a shop employee was critically injured by a gunshot. Several alleged co-conspirators have also been charged, and the indictment named more than a dozen locations.