Eleven Indian nationals face charges in the U.S. over a conspiracy involving visa fraud and staged robberies designed to falsely claim victim status on immigration applications. The scheme aimed to help participants qualify for a U non-immigrant visa, which is issued to victims of certain crimes who have endured physical or emotional harm and assisted law enforcement in criminal investigations.
Prosecutors allege that in March 2023, Patel and his co-conspirators orchestrated and executed fake armed robberies at at least six stores, including convenience stores, liquor outlets, and fast-food restaurants across Massachusetts and other locations. During these staged incidents, the “robber” would threaten store employees or owners with what appeared to be a firearm, take cash from registers, and then flee. These events were recorded on store surveillance footage.
Following the robberies, clerks and owners allegedly waited over five minutes before calling the police, giving the impression of a real crime. Each victim reportedly paid Patel to participate in these schemes, while he paid store owners for permission to use their locations in the staged robberies.
The authorities confirmed that Patel, the “robber,” and the getaway driver had prior charges and convictions. The current charges involve the eleven defendants either conspiring with the leader to carry out the robberies or paying to participate as “victims” or perpetrators.
Those facing conspiracy charges include:
– Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, residing unlawfully in Marshfield, MA
– Maheshkumar Patel, 36, residing unlawfully in Randolph, MA
– Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, residing unlawfully in Quincy, MA
– Dipikaben Patel, 40, deported to India after residing unlawfully in Weymouth, MA
– Rameshbhai Patel, 52, residing unlawfully in Eubank, KY
– Amitabahen Patel, 43, residing unlawfully in Plainville, MA
– Ronakkumar Patel, 28, residing unlawfully in Maryland Heights, MO
– Sangitaben Patel, 36, residing unlawfully in Randolph, MA
– Minkesh Patel, 42, residing unlawfully in Perrysburg, OH
– Sonal Patel, 42, residing unlawfully in Perrysburg, OH
– Mitul Patel, 40, residing unlawfully in Worcester, MA
Some of these individuals—Jitendrakumar, Maheshkumar, Sanjaykumar, Amitabahen, Sangitaben, and Mitul Patel—were arrested in Massachusetts and released after initial court appearances. Others—Rameshbhai, Ronakkumar, Sonal, and Minkesh Patel—were taken into custody in Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio, and are scheduled for future court dates in Boston.
The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries potential penalties of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks. The authorities emphasized that all charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Pakistani national Asif Merchant was found guilty in a U.S. court Friday for conspiring to assassinate President Donald Trump and other high-profile American officials, with ties to Iran, according to the Department of Justice. Merchant acknowledged during the trial his involvement with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but claimed he was acting under duress to protect his family in Tehran.
He was accused of attempting to recruit individuals within the United States for a scheme targeting Trump and others as retaliation for Washington’s 2020 killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, during Trump’s first term. Federal prosecutors reported that the plot also aimed at then-President Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, who challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination that year.
The DOJ stated Merchant was convicted of “murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism crossing international borders,” with the plot allegedly directed by Iranian authorities. The trial took place in Brooklyn, New York, just days before Trump authorized a military strike on Iran in collaboration with Israel, which has escalated into the region’s largest conflict in years.
Merchant claimed he was never explicitly ordered to kill a specific individual but mentioned that his Iranian handler listed three potential targets during conversations in Tehran. Law enforcement intercepted the plot before any attacks could occur. An individual contacted by Merchant in April 2024, who reported his activities, later became a confidential informant for authorities.
Merchant was arrested that same year and pleaded not guilty. Tehran has denied any involvement or intent to target Trump or other U.S. officials.
On Friday, the U.S. Justice Department released a new batch of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in jail. This move aligns with a law passed in November requiring the department to disclose all Epstein-related records by December 19, 2025. The department recently indicated that it still has over five million pages to review and has had to reassign hundreds of attorneys, prompting criticism from members of Congress who argued that the slow pace violated the law.
History shows that President Donald Trump, who had acquaintances with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before their relationship soured years prior to Epstein’s first conviction, initially resisted releasing these records. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress pressed for their release against Trump’s objections.
Some of the documents released contain significant redactions, citing reasons such as protecting victims and safeguarding ongoing investigations, which has frustrated lawmakers. Trump has not been formally accused of any involvement related to Epstein, and he denies any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities.
Epstein, a financier from New York, was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Although authorities ruled his death a suicide, conspiracy theories have persisted, with some gaining traction during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, which he endorsed. The Epstein scandal remains a persistent political issue for Trump, who is already contending with declining approval ratings on various fronts, including economic management and immigration policies.
A broad view of the FBI building in Washington, D.C. — Reuters/File
– Four individuals have been charged with conspiracy, according to the complaint.
– Authorities revealed that the group also intended to target ICE agents and their vehicles.
– The plot involved planting explosives at five different sites on New Year’s Eve.
The FBI has uncovered and prevented a planned bombing campaign aimed at multiple locations, including those targeting immigration enforcement agents and vehicles in Los Angeles and Orange County, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Monday.
“The Turtle Island Liberation Front, a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist organization, was plotting a series of bombings across California starting on New Year’s Eve. Their targets also included ICE agents and their vehicles,” Bondi stated.
Four suspects face charges of conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device, as detailed in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
According to the document, the conspiracy involved placing explosive devices at five locations, intending to target two American companies right at midnight on New Year’s Eve in the Los Angeles region.
The defendants named in the complaint are Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zachary Aaron Page, Dante Gaffield, and Tina Lai.
A sworn statement supporting the complaint revealed that Carroll, in November, submitted an eight-page handwritten document titled “Operation Midnight Sun” to an undercover source. The document outlined the bomb plot.
Carroll and Page allegedly recruited the other two individuals to assist in executing the plan, which involved acquiring materials to make bombs and traveling to a remote area in the Mojave Desert to test and detonate explosive devices on December 12, 2025. However, law enforcement intervened before they could complete their plans and assemble a working explosive.
President Donald Trump has announced that there’s “nothing to hide,” calling for the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender. He insists it’s time to move past this Democrat hoax, framing it as a distraction from Republican successes, including their recent victory over the Democrat shutdown.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing Epstein case documents, emphasizing, “We have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on.” This stance marks a shift, as he previously opposed releasing the files. His change of heart comes after House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that releasing the Justice Department’s Epstein files could help clear Trump of any alleged connections to Epstein’s trafficking of minors.
Despite having been photographed with Epstein years ago, Trump has maintained they fell out before Epstein’s criminal conviction. Recently released emails indicated Epstein believed Trump “knew about the girls,” though the specifics of that claim remain unclear. Trump has dismissed the Epstein files as a Democratic smear campaign and has since directed the Department of Justice to probe Democrats’ ties to Epstein.
This dispute over the release of Epstein-related documents has caused a rift with some of Trump’s allies in Congress. Many of his most loyal supporters believe that the government is withholding sensitive information about Epstein’s connections to influential public figures.
Late Friday, Trump withdrew his backing of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, one of his top congressional supporters, after she criticized Republicans on issues including the Epstein files. Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna from California, who originally sponsored the petition for the files’ release, predicts that over 40 Republicans will support the effort.
The House holds a narrow majority, with 219 seats compared to 214 for Democrats, which could influence the outcome of any vote on the matter.
This frame grab from September 17, 2025, taken from AFP footage dated September 16, 2025, shows an image projected on a tower at Windsor Castle displaying a portrait of Jeffrey Epstein, notorious sex offender, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump. — AFP
Democrats claim the messages raise serious questions about Trump.
Speaker Johnson plans a House vote to release Epstein files.
Epstein allegedly spent hours with Trump and Maxwell with a victim.
WASHINGTON: Emails released Wednesday by Democrats suggest Jeffrey Epstein indicated that Donald Trump was aware of Epstein’s misconduct and spent hours with a victim at his home, sparking new, uncomfortable questions for the President.
Trump has consistently denied knowing about Epstein’s sex trafficking activities—Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial—and has accused Democrats of trying to distract from their own shortcomings.
Nevertheless, the controversy remains challenging for Trump. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee say the new emails “raise critical questions about Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s horrific crimes.”
Later Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced an upcoming vote on forcing the Justice Department to release the remaining Epstein case files, earlier than expected.
In an April 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein expressed that Trump spent considerable time with a woman later identified as Virginia Giuffre, Epstein’s main accuser. Epstein wrote, “I want you to realize that the dog that hasn’t barked is Trump,” noting that she “spent hours at my house with him, yet it’s never been mentioned.” Maxwell responded, “I’ve been thinking about that…”
‘Of course he knew’
Another email from Epstein to author Michael Wolff, dated January 31, 2019, states: “Of course he knew about the girls because he asked Ghislaine to stop.”
A statue of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands is displayed near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on October 2, 2025. — AFP
Later, Republicans revealed thousands of emails obtained via a subpoena of Epstein’s estate. One of Epstein’s notes called Trump “dirty,” which keeps the Epstein matter in the headlines months after the Justice Department affirmed Epstein’s death by suicide and dismissed claims of a client list under review.
The Epstein scandal continues to stir debates within Trump’s administration, and House Democrats are pushing for a vote to declassify the full Epstein case files.
Trump warned Republicans against falling into a “trap,” while top officials met with far-right Republican Lauren Boebert in the White House Situation Room to persuade her to hold her signature on the petition back.
On social media, Trump claimed, “The Democrats are trying to resurrect the Jeffrey Epstein hoax because they’ll do anything to divert attention from their failures.”
Boebert refused to back down, and with the swearing-in of Democrat Adelita Grijalva after delays, the petition gained enough signatures. Johnson indicated the House will vote next week to release the files, ahead of schedule, as Republicans seek to resolve the issue quickly.
Fury among the MAGA base
The White House responded by accusing Democrats of selectively leaking messages to craft a “fake narrative” aimed at smearing Trump.
A protester holds a sign outside the U.S. Capitol on November 12, 2025, advocating for the release of Epstein case documents. — AFP
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cited statements from Virginia Giuffre, who passed away in April, claiming she said Trump was “very friendly” towards her during limited contact.
The Epstein controversy has haunted Trump for months, even after his Justice Department affirmed Epstein’s suicide and dismissed rumors of a “client list.” This has enraged MAGA supporters, who believe a “deep state” conspiracy is protecting prominent Democrats allegedly connected to Epstein.
Many of Trump’s allies, including current and former FBI officials, have perpetuated conspiracy theories, suggesting Epstein’s death was actually a murder ordered by powerful figures.
Trump had a long-standing relationship with Epstein, frequently seen partying together over 15 years until allegedly parting ways over a property issue in 2004, after which Trump distanced himself publicly from Epstein.
Donald Trump’s administration requested that two judges release grand jury testimony that led to the indictments of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell on sex trafficking charges. This move comes as Trump aims to ease concerns over how his administration has handled the case.
On July 18, the Justice Department initially asked the court to allow the public release of transcripts from witnesses’ confidential testimony from years earlier in these cases. However, judges Richard Berman and Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan responded, wanting more detail on the legal grounds for the request.
In late-night court filings, prosecutors argued that releasing these transcripts would serve the public interest, given the widespread attention the Epstein case has received and ongoing scrutiny of federal law enforcement’s actions.
The Epstein case has fueled conspiracy theories for years. Recently, Trump faced demands to disclose documents related to federal investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. Epstein died by hanging in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges; officials concluded his death was a suicide, and Epstein’s plea deal in 2008 for soliciting prostitution is widely viewed as too light. Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, was convicted in 2021 and is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Florida. She is appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court, asserting innocence.
Trump mentioned earlier this month that he instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the release of grand jury transcripts, responding to the Justice Department’s conclusion that Epstein died by suicide and that no incriminating list of clients exists.
This decision has upset some of Trump’s conservative supporters, who suspect the government is hiding ties Epstein had to wealthy and influential figures and believe Epstein was murdered in prison.
Grand juries, which hold secret proceedings to decide whether enough evidence exists to indict suspects, typically keep their records sealed. Only under specific circumstances can transcripts be made public.
Even if the judges approve the release, it’s uncertain whether the public would gain new insights, as Maxwell’s 2021 trial already included testimonies from victims, associates, and law enforcement officials.
The transcripts wouldn’t include all the files the government possesses, as investigators often pursue leads or interview potential witnesses who might not testify before a grand jury.
In Florida, a judge denied the administration’s effort to unseal records from 2005 and 2007 grand jury investigations into Epstein, citing the lack of qualifying exceptions.
Epstein’s 2008 plea deal for solicitation of prostitution was seen as lenient, and he was sentenced to 13 months. Recently, Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump, met with Maxwell for two days to discuss any information she might have about others involved in crimes. Neither Maxwell’s attorney nor Blanche has shared details about those discussions.
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Former President Barack Obama converses with President Donald Trump. —AFP/File
Facing scrutiny over Epstein, Trump retaliates.
Claims suggest Russia aimed to harm Clinton.
Trump has consistently targeted Obama.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of committing “treason,” without offering any evidence, claiming Obama led a scheme to falsely associate him with Russia in an effort to undermine his 2016 presidential run.
An Obama spokesperson dismissed Trump’s assertions, stating, “These absurd allegations are ludicrous and serve as a feeble attempt to distract.”
While Trump has often criticized Obama by name, he had not previously leveled such serious criminal accusations against his Democratic predecessor since returning to office in January.
During his remarks in the Oval Office, Trump seized on comments made by his intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday, in which she suggested referring officials from the Obama administration to the Justice Department for prosecution regarding an intelligence evaluation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
She declassified documents asserting that the information she released indicated a “treasonous conspiracy” by key Obama administration officials to sabotage Trump, a claim Democrats labeled as false and politically motivated.
“It’s clear, he’s guilty. This amounts to treason,” Trump declared on Tuesday, though he presented no evidence. “They attempted to steal the election, they obscured the process. They committed acts no one would have imagined, not even in other nations.”
A January 2017 assessment by the U.S. intelligence community revealed that Russia, utilizing social media disinformation, hacking, and bot farms, sought to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign while bolstering Trump’s candidacy. The assessment noted that the actual impact of these efforts was likely limited and found no evidence that they changed election results.
A bipartisan Senate intelligence committee report from 2020 concluded that Russia collaborated with Republican political operative Paul Manafort and the WikiLeaks site to influence the 2016 election in favor of Trump’s campaign.
“Nothing in the document released last week by Gabbard undermines the widely accepted conclusion that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully tamper with any votes,” said Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush in a statement.
Trump Under Fire
Trump, known for promoting unfounded conspiracy theories, has consistently dismissed these evaluations as a “hoax.” Recently, he shared a fabricated video on his Truth Social account depicting Obama being arrested in handcuffs in the Oval Office.
Seeking to shift focus from mounting pressure from his conservative base regarding the release of information about Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges, Trump quickly transitioned to attacking Obama and Clinton when asked about Epstein.
“The real witch hunt you should focus on is how they caught President Obama completely off guard,” Trump said.
Trump implied that actions would soon be taken against Obama and his former officials, labeling the Russia investigation as treasonous and suggesting Obama was guilty of “leading a coup.”
“It’s time to take action against those responsible for what they did to me. Regardless of whether it’s right or wrong, we need to pursue these individuals. Obama has been directly implicated,” he stated.
Democratic Representative Jim Himes countered on social media, “This is false. If he’s confused, the President should consult @SecRubio, who helped lead the bipartisan Senate investigation that unanimously found no evidence of politicization in the intelligence community’s actions regarding the 2016 election.”
Former Republican Senator Marco Rubio is currently Trump’s Secretary of State.
Since regaining office, Trump has sharply criticized his political adversaries, asserting they weaponized the federal government against him and his allies over the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol and regarding his handling of classified documents after his presidency.
Attacks on Predecessors
Trump has long made Obama a primary target. In 2011, he accused Obama of being unqualified to serve as President, which prompted Obama to publicly confirm his citizenship by releasing his birth certificate.
In recent months, Trump has not hesitated to launch intense verbal attacks against both of his Democratic predecessors in ways that are nearly unprecedented in contemporary politics.
He initiated an inquiry after alleging, without evidence, that former President Joe Biden and his team conspired to use an autopen, a device that replicates a person’s signature, to sign sensitive documents on Biden’s behalf. Biden responded, calling the assertion false and “ridiculous.”
Gabbard’s accusation that Obama conspired to undermine Trump’s 2016 campaign through manipulated intelligence reports on Russian interference contradicts a CIA review conducted by Director John Ratcliffe and released on July 2, a 2018 bipartisan Senate report, and declassified documents that Gabbard herself released recently.
The documents reveal that Gabbard conflated two distinct U.S. intelligence findings, claiming that Obama and his national security aides altered an assessment indicating that Russia was not attempting to influence the election through cyber means.
One finding stated that Russia wasn’t trying to hack U.S. election infrastructure to alter vote counts, while the other indicated that Moscow likely employed cyber tactics to sway the political landscape in the U.S. through information and propaganda operations, including stealing and leaking data from Democratic Party servers.
The January 2017 U.S. intelligence assessment, commissioned by Obama, built upon the latter finding: that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized influence operations to help sway the 2016 election in Trump’s favor.
The review led by Ratcliffe identified flaws in the assessment but did not dispute its conclusions, affirming the “quality and credibility” of a highly classified CIA report upon which the assessment relied.
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US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, DC, July 16, 2025. — Reuters
President Donald Trump’s administration is set to request a court’s permission to disclose grand jury testimonies related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, a deceased convicted sex offender. This move comes after some of his supporters expressed outrage over a report which stated that no evidence supported several long-running conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein.
“Given the overwhelming media attention on Jeffrey Epstein, I’ve instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to obtain all relevant Grand Jury testimonies, pending court approval. This lies, perpetuated by the Democrats, needs to conclude immediately!” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform.
Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social, July 18, 2025. — Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Bondi tweeted on X that the Justice Department was ready to go to court to request the unsealing of the grand jury transcripts on Friday.
“President Trump — we’re prepared to take action in court tomorrow to release the grand jury transcripts,” Bondi tweeted.
Following the Justice Department’s conclusion this month that there was no evidence to support many longstanding conspiracy theories regarding Epstein and his clients, some Trump supporters have begun questioning the narrative surrounding the disgraced financier.
Previously, Bondi had promised to disclose significant revelations about Epstein, mentioning “many names” and “numerous flight logs.”
The call for more information from Trump supporters has created a rift within his base. Trump has pushed back against these concerns, labeling the matter a hoax.
Allegations of Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors surfaced publicly in 2006, leading to his arrest. He accepted a plea deal that year. Epstein died in 2019 while in custody after being arrested again and charged with conspiracy to traffic minors for sex.
