Oakdale man sentenced to 10 years in visa fraud conspiracy

Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, 40, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to commit visa fraud and conducting transactions involving criminal proceeds. The Western District of Louisiana said Patel recruited foreign nationals and paid law enforcement officials to create false robbery reports supporting fraudulent U visa applications. Four co-conspirators, including law enforcement officials, each received five-year prison sentences. Patel is to be removed from the United States after serving his sentence.