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The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to dismiss criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, a decision that followed the tycoon’s pledge to invest $10 billion in the United States and settle a series of related civil cases.
The Justice Department on Monday filed a motion with the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York, asking a judge to drop the case “with prejudice,” meaning the charges cannot be refiled. In a brief letter to the court, prosecutors said they had decided “not to devote further resources” to the case against Mr. Adani.
The federal indictment, originally filed in November 2024 during the final weeks of the Biden administration, had accused Mr. Adani and seven others of orchestrating a scheme to pay approximately $265 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts.
Prosecutors further alleged that the defendants had misled U.S. investors by providing false assurances about the company’s anti-corruption practices while raising more than $3 billion in capital. Mr. Adani and his company have consistently denied all allegations.
Investment Pledge Follows Legal Team Shake-Up
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The move to drop the criminal case was preceded by a series of legal developments and a notable change in Mr. Adani’s legal representation. Last week, he retained a new legal team headed by Robert J. Giuffra Jr., a prominent attorney who also serves as one of President Donald Trump’s personal lawyers.
The New York Times reported that Mr. Giuffra informed the DOJ that Mr. Adani was prepared to invest $10 billion in the U.S., a pledge that could create an estimated 15,000 American jobs.
While the Justice Department stated the investment offer did not influence its decision, the timing of the charges being dropped has drawn scrutiny from legal observers and anti-corruption advocates.
The announcement came just days after Mr. Adani met privately with U.S. trade officials in Washington, though the White House has declined to comment on any specific conversations.
Civil Settlements Cleared Path for Dismissal
The decision to dismiss the criminal charges follows the resolution of two other major legal cases involving the Adani Group. On Monday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced a $275 million civil settlement with Adani Enterprises over allegations that the company violated U.S. sanctions against Iran by purchasing liquefied petroleum gas that originated from Iran, as detailed by BBC News.
Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reached a separate $18 million civil settlement with Mr. Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, to resolve the fraud allegations. That agreement, finalized last week, does not include any admission of wrongdoing by either party.
