Indian billionaire denies U.S. investment pledge influenced DOJ to seek case dismissal

Justice DepartmentIndian billionaire denies U.S. investment pledge influenced DOJ to seek case dismissal Federal prosecutors sought to drop the case against Gautam Adani in May, a significant reversal in a sweeping bribery and fraud scheme.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani Group, in 2023.Kobi Wolf / Bloomberg via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 15, 2026, 4:00 PM EDTBy Chloe AtkinsIndian business magnate Gautam Adani said his pledge to invest billions of dollars in the U.S. did not influence the Justice Department’s decision to move to drop the criminal case against him.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In a sworn statement filed Wednesday, Adani denied seeking a quid pro quo with the Trump administration to avoid prosecution, after a federal judge ordered the billionaire to explain whether any deal was made in connection with the government’s significant reversal.“To my knowledge, the Adani Group’s interest in investing in the United States had no role in the DOJ’s decision to seek the dismissal of the indictment,” Adani said. “I am not aware of any agreement involving any person or entity exchanging anything for the dismissal of the indictment.”Adani was indicted in 2024 by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn over his alleged role in a sweeping fraud and bribery scheme. He was accused of defrauding U.S. investors and paying off Indian government officials to win a bid to develop the country’s largest solar power plant.The contracts were projected to generate $2 billion in profits over 20 years.Adani, who was never arrested in connection with the charges or brought to the U.S. to face trial, has called the accusations baseless.The Justice Department in May sought to drop the case, saying that it did not wish to devote further resources to it. Adani’s attorney, Robert J. Giuffra Jr., also filed a declaration on Wednesday, saying the decision...