Former owner of Nisswa hotel faces labor trafficking, threats of violence charges

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

The Details

NISSWA, Minn. — The former owner of Nisswa Inn and Suites is accused of misleading a woman with a free trip to Nisswa — then forcing her to work at the hotel against her will.

Vijay Kumar Ramanbhai Patel, 52, of Deerwood, Minnesota, was charged Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Crow Wing County District Court with one count of felony labor trafficking and one count of felony threats of violence.

Patel is not in custody and is scheduled to make his first appearance on the criminal charges Dec. 7 in Crow Wing County District Court.

According to the criminal complaint and summons filed against Patel, on Sept. 13, 2024, a Crow Wing County Sheriff’s investigator met with the victim, a woman from Guyana in South America, who said she was in New York City visiting family when she responded to an advertisement that offered her a free trip to see Nisswa. The woman bought a plane ticket, which she was told would be reimbursed, and arrived in Minnesota around July 28, 2024.

The woman was brought to the Nisswa Inn and Suites, was told to get some rest and that she would “clock-in in the morning.” The woman told the investigator she did not understand what that meant.

The next morning, the victim was told by a manager to grab a vacuum and start cleaning rooms, according to the complaint. She met a male, Vijay Patel, who told her to bend over and pick up things off the floor. When the woman looked around and did not see anything to pick up, she said Patel responded with “Work smart, not hard.”

The woman said eventually Patel began asking her to send him nude photographs, and he also began sending threats.

Lutsen Resort owner to stand trial on arson, insurance fraud charges 5h ago 2 adult foster homes in Horace shuttered after vulnerable residents left without caregiver 11h ago Moorhead man accused in deadly shooting says he's ready for second trial 22h ago Screenshots of these messages were provided to law enforcement. In one of them, the woman told Patel: “Goodmor8ng vj I want to go home please you kept me here long now against my will,” “You people force me to work for you without means or anything please send me home.” Patel responded with: “... you have to stay there you came to work for me now.”

The woman pleaded with the Patel, messaging: “But vj please I am held against my will i want to go home to my family (several crying emojis) you all keep telling g me you will buy my ticket I work for you where is my money then you say the agancy will pay me and thry are not thry say when I come to New York please ok I don’t have money to home…I will tell the police what you are doing to me.” The defendant responded with: “If you should tell the police anything I will kill you … stay there.”

The woman told the investigator she was eventually able to leave the hotel. Patel sent her several messages: “Do not call or text my number again … you black people do not get it do you I employed you to work for me as a slave,” “You said you are injured on my job so what is wrong with that don’t you see I changed all our vacuum to brand new ones,” “Do not call my number again if you do I will rape you shoot you behind your head and dump you like I dump my garbage.”

The woman stated there were other immigrant women at the hotel who were also subject to abuse by Patel.

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• Matt Erickson

Matt Erickson joined the Brainerd Dispatch in 2000 as a reporter, covering crime and courts and the city of Brainerd. In 2012 he was promoted to night editor and in 2014 was promoted to editor of the newspaper.

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