Police in Houston, Texas, are currently probing a series of robberies reported over the past year, suspected to have been orchestrated to facilitate the acquisition of U-visas by the alleged victims.
The discovery of this purported scheme unfolded following an incident on January 27, where Rasshuud Scott was fatally shot by a bystander while reportedly robbing a couple at a gas station in northwest Houston. Authorities now allege that the robbery was staged.
One of the cases under scrutiny involves a robbery at another gas station in northwest Houston in February 2023.
Akbar Jiwani recounted to Eyewitness News an incident where he, along with his brother and cousin, were robbed at gunpoint at a gas station on Gessner. Police suspect Scott was the perpetrator and that the robbery was part of the U-visa scheme, as Jiwani applied for and received a U-visa.
Jiwani, originally from India and residing in the country for eight years, mentioned to Eyewitness News that he applied for the U-visa several months after reporting the robbery to the police.
When asked about HPD’s assertion that the robbery was staged to obtain the U-visa, Jiwani repeatedly shook his head in denial.
Eyewitness News found no criminal charges against Jiwani or the other purported victims involved in the alleged staged robberies.
Jiwani indicated that he had not been contacted by either the police or immigration authorities regarding the matter.
