A U.S. judge threw out a case against Indian billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani on Monday (August 10, 2026) after the Trump administration decided to drop the fraud and bribery allegations against him.
Political Context
The judge in the case had previously asked if the reported investment pledge was a factor in the U.S. government’s decision to drop the case, a rare move in the federal legal system, but ultimately concluded it was not part of prosecutorial decision-making. Mr. Adani is a close ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hails from the leader’s home state of Gujarat.
The district court also finalised a settlement between the Adanis and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which will see the Adanis pay the US government $18 million without admitting guilt and formally settle the civil securities fraud charges against them. In 2024, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment against the Adani group and its associates, alleging that the group had been involved in a $265 million bribery scheme to win solar energy contracts with Indian government entities.
