In big US visa scam, Indian admits to staging robberies across US
Even the store owners were complicit in these staged robberies.In exchange for using their stores, Patel paid the owners for access to the premises.Beginning in March 2023, Patel and his alleged co-conspirator set up and carried out at least nine staged robberies at convenience stores and restaurants, with five of them in Massachusetts, according to a statement issued by the US Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts.advertisementThe purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the store clerks, who were living in the US illegally, to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U non-immigrant status (U-Visa).A U-Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.The U-Visa was introduced in 2000 to encourage undocumented immigrants to report crimes.CO-CONSPIRATOR EXPECTED TO PLEAD GUILTY ON MAY 22At least two co-conspirators submitted U-Visa applications based on staged armed robberies.While Patel was charged in December 2023, his co-conspirator, identified as Singh, is expected to plead guilty on May 22, the statement added.The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.In a separate case, Fairfield County Police in Connecticut last week charged two Indian nationals for staging a fake robbery in March.After police questioned the shop owner, Birenkumar Patel, in connection with the robbery, he admitted the incident was orchestrated to allow the clerk of his shop, Laxitkumar Patel, to remain in the US by exploiting the U-Visa program, according to the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office statement. It was the clerk who called the police to file a false robbery complaint.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump pauses export controls to bolster China trade deal: Report
The United States has temporarily eased restrictions on technology exports to China. This decision aims to facilitate ongoing trade negotiations with Beijing. It also supports President Trump's efforts to meet with President Xi Jinping. The Commerce Department has been instructed to avoid taking strict actions against China. Nvidia will resume sales of its H20 GPUs to China. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The U.S. has paused curbs on tech exports to China to avoid disrupting trade talks with Beijing and support President Donald Trump 's efforts to secure a meeting with President Xi Jinping this year, the Financial Times said on industry and security bureau of the Commerce Department, which oversees export controls, has been told in recent months to avoid tough moves on China, the newspaper said, citing current and former could not immediately verify the report. The White House and the department did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment outside business U.S. and Chinese economic officials are set to resume talks in Stockholm on Monday to tackle longstanding economic disputes at the centre of a trade war between the world's top two giant Nvidia said this month it would resume sales of its H20 graphics processing units (GPU) to China, reversing an export curb the Trump administration imposed in April to keep advanced AI chips out of Chinese hands over national security planned resumption was part of U.S. negotiations on rare earths and magnets, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has paper said 20 security experts and former officials, including former deputy US national security adviser Matt Pottinger, will write on Monday to Lutnick to voice concern, however."This move represents a strategic misstep that endangers the United States' economic and military edge in artificial intelligence," they write in the letter, it added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
4 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Explained: What is the new 15% US-EU tariff deal and what does it cover?
US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday, July 27, announced a wide-ranging trade agreement that imposes a 15 per cent tariff on most European imports into the US. The deal, which was finalised during a brief meeting at Trump's Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, averted the looming threat of a 30 per cent tariff that was set to take effect on August 1. While the headline tariff rate is fixed at 15 per cent, many of the agreement's finer details are still unclear. The deal includes zero tariffs on select 'strategic goods' such as aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, and critical raw materials. However, pharmaceuticals, steel, and some farm goods remain outside the scope of this agreement. What is not included in the deal? While the agreement removes immediate tariff threats, several issues remain unresolved. Trump confirmed that the existing 50 per cent US tariff on imported steel will stay in place. Talks will continue on setting steel import quotas and reducing overcapacity in the global market. Pharmaceuticals were not included in this agreement. Von der Leyen clarified that those discussions are ongoing, separate from Sunday's deal. Tariffs on some EU agricultural products also remain unchanged, but with no clear indication of which items are excluded. What impact will the agreement have? The 15 per cent tariff is a significant increase from the pre-Trump average US tariff of about 1 per cent on European goods and above the 10 per cent baseline tariff applied during negotiations. For European exporters, the impact could be considerable as many companies will face the difficult choice of either passing the cost on to US consumers or absorbing losses. The earlier 10 per cent tariff was already enough to prompt the European Commission to slash its growth forecast from 1.3 per cent to 0.9 per cent. Now, with 15 per cent, German industry leaders warn of 'immense negative effects' on export-reliant sectors. Von der Leyen defended the deal, calling it 'the best we could do' and noting that it secures continued access to the US market and brings a degree of stability. How are different sectors reacting, especially carmakers? The car industry, which was gearing for a 30 per cent tariff, sees the 15 per cent rate as a relief. Von der Leyen pointed out that the new rate is significantly lower than the current 27.5 per cent tariff on cars from all countries — which includes Trump's 25 per cent tariff and the pre-existing 2.5 per cent US auto tariff. Still, European automakers remain under pressure. Volkswagen revealed it had already lost $1.5 billion in profits in the first half of the year due to higher US tariffs. Mercedes-Benz, which produces a significant share of its US-sold vehicles in Alabama, said price hikes are likely for future model years. What were the key issues dividing the two sides? Before Trump's presidency, US-EU tariffs were relatively low. According to the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank, the US averaged a 1.47 per cent tariff on European goods, while the EU imposed 1.35 per cent on American products, Associated Press reported. Trump frequently criticised the $235 billion US merchandise trade deficit with the EU, calling the European market unfair — particularly in the automotive sector. However, the EU argues that the US enjoys a substantial surplus in services like cloud computing, travel, and financial services, which helps offset the imbalance. Despite Trump's stance that the EU 'was formed to screw the United States', both sides have recognised the need to preserve their trading relationship. With $2 trillion in annual commerce, the US and EU form the world's largest bilateral trading bloc. How did the deal come together? The last-minute breakthrough came just days before the US deadline to impose new tariffs. Trump and von der Leyen held brief talks at Trump's golf resort in Scotland, joined by top EU trade officials. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the August 1 deadline was firm. 'No extensions, no more grace periods,' he said. Yet he said that Trump remained open to future dialogue. The EU had prepared its own list of retaliatory tariffs targeting hundreds of US goods, including beef, auto parts, beer, and even Boeing aircraft. Without a deal, everything from French cheese to German electronics could have become more expensive for American consumers. What are the concerns going forward? While the agreement avoided an immediate trade war, analysts caution that the deal remains vague in parts. 'There is nothing on paper, yet,' said ING's global chief of macro Carsten Brzeski. He warned that the lack of formal documentation makes enforcement and interpretation difficult. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised the outcome for preserving 'core interests' but expressed disappointment that deeper tariff relief wasn't achieved. (With agency inputs)
The Hindu
4 minutes ago
- The Hindu
U.S. to release result of probe into chip imports in two weeks
The Trump administration will announce the results of a national security probe into imports of semiconductors in two weeks, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday, as U.S. President Donald Trump suggested higher tariffs were on the horizon. Lutnick told reporters after a meeting between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the investigation was one of the "key reasons" the European Union sought to negotiate a broader trade agreement that would "resolve all things at one time." Trump said many companies would be investing in semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, including some from Taiwan and other places, to avoid getting hit by new tariffs. He said von der Leyen had avoided the pending chips tariffs "in a much better way." Trump and von der Leyen announced a new framework trade agreement that includes across-the-board 15% tariffs on EU imports entering the United States. Trump said the agreement included autos, which face a higher 25% tariff under a separate sectoral tariff action. The Trump administration in April said it was investigating whether extensive reliance on foreign imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors posed a national security threat. The probe, being conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, could lay the groundwork for new tariffs on imports in both sectors. The Trump administration has begun separate investigations under the same law into imports of copper and lumber. Earlier probes completed during Trump's first term formed the basis for 25% tariffs rolled out since his return to the White House in January on steel and aluminum and on the auto industry. Trump has upended global trade with a series of aggressive levies against trading partners, including a 10% tariff that took effect in April, with that rate set to increase sharply for most larger trading partners from August 1. The U.S. relies heavily on chips imported from Taiwan, something Democratic former President Joe Biden sought to reverse during his term by granting billions of dollars in Chips Act awards to lure chipmakers to expand production in the United States.
