US Judge Dismisses Criminal Case Against Indian Billionaire Adani After DOJ Drops Charges
Bbc · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A US judge has formally ended the high-profile bribery and fraud case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, one of India's wealthiest businessmen. US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn issued a 47-page order on Monday approving the Justice Department's request to dismiss the charges, bringing the case to a close. The ruling marks the latest instance of federal prosecutors dropping a white-collar criminal case during President Donald Trump's second term.
Key Points
- Adani was charged in 2024 with allegedly agreeing to bribe Indian government officials to win approval for developing a solar energy plant, then misleading US investors about his company's anti-corruption practices
- In November 2024, before charges were unsealed, Adani promised to invest US$10 billion in the United States
- The Justice Department announced on May 18 it would no longer pursue the case, citing that much of the alleged conduct occurred outside the US and the prosecution no longer aligned with departmental priorities
- Judge Garaufis criticized the dismissal process as "highly unusual," finding that R Trent McCotter, principal associate deputy attorney general, coordinated with Adani's legal team without consulting prosecutors and investigators who built the case
- Adani's new legal team was led by Robert J Giuffra Jr, co-chair of Sullivan & Cromwell and a personal lawyer to President Trump, who reportedly met Justice Department officials to raise concerns about the prosecution
Why It Matters
The dismissal raises questions about the independence of federal prosecutions in the current administration, with a federal judge publicly condemning the process by which the case was dropped . The case also underscores how political connections can influence high-stakes white-collar prosecutions, as Adani's legal team included a personal attorney to the president .
The dismissal raises questions about the independence of federal prosecutions in the current administration, with a federal judge publicly condemning the process by which the case was dropped . The case also underscores how political connections can influence high-stakes white-collar prosecutions, as Adani's legal team included a personal attorney to the president .