Two New York City men staged armed robberies at convenience stores and fast food joints across the United States to scheme immigration benefits, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Rambhai Patel, 36, and Balwinder Singh, 39, were arrested on Dec. 13 and both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud for their alleged plot {snip}

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The “victims” of the alleged robberies each paid Patel to participate in the phony antics – while Patel paid the store owners to use their shops for the staged robberies {snip}

The purpose of the staged robberies was to enable the store clerks to apply for a special “U visa” – which allows immigrants who’ve been mentally or physically abused and help prosecute criminals to stay in the country for four years.

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