Chicago man sentenced for orchestrating fake robbery visa scam

Parth Nayi, 29, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison and fined $50,000 for his role in a massive immigration fraud scheme. Between 2022 and 2024, Nayi organized hundreds of staged armed robberies at various locations across Chicago and its suburbs, including restaurants, gas stations, and convenience stores.

The scheme targeted the U.S. Nonimmigrant U-Visa program, which is designed to assist foreign nationals who are victims of certain crimes and assist law enforcement. Nayi recruited migrants, primarily from Latin and South American origins, to pose as robbery victims. Participants reportedly paid Nayi between $5,000 and $30,000 to participate in the scam.

To facilitate the fraud, Nayi coordinated with store employees, paid off owners to use their locations, and coached fake victims through the process. While most incidents were carefully orchestrated to avoid injury, one 2023 incident resulted in a participant accidentally firing a pistol, striking a store employee in the stomach. Nayi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud, and five other individuals were also convicted in connection with the scheme.