Businessman In South Louisiana Faces Visa Scam Hearing This Wednesday

(KHLA - Lake Charles, Louisiana) - An Oakdale businessman who is facing serious federal charges and will be in court tomorrow.

We reported last week about several raids across South Louisiana that resulted in multiple law enforcement officers and a businessman being arrested.

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The hearing for Oakdale businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel has been set for tomorrow. He's accused of immigration and mail fraud, and money laundering.

Since his arrest on July 15, Patel, who is considered a flight risk by federal authorities, has been detained without bond at a detention facility in Rapides Parish.

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He will appear tomorrow at a federal court in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Alison Doyle, a former Oakdale municipal employee and the wife of Police Chief Doyle, has also implicated Patel in a separate state probe into suspected malfeasance. On July 17, she was taken into custody by Louisiana State Police on two charges of malfeasance in office for allegedly working with Patel to rig the bidding for two properties held by the city.

Authorities believe the immigrant visa scam has been going on for nearly a decade.

After a year-long investigation called "Operation Take Back America", federal agents made several arrests across the state last week including the Oakdale Police Chief and Marshall, the former Glenmora Police Chief, and the Forest Hill Police Chief.

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