NEW YORK, United States — The United States Department of Justice has dropped criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and several officials linked to the Adani Group, marking a dramatic turn in one of the most closely watched corporate legal battles involving the Indian tycoon.
The development came days after Adani and his companies agreed to settle separate civil and sanctions-related investigations in the United States.
According to filings cited by international media, Adani Enterprises also agreed to pay US$275 million (about Sh35.5 billion) to the US Treasury to settle allegations linked to violations of sanctions imposed on Iran.
Sources familiar with the matter told the BBC that the Adani Group has now resolved all three major legal cases it faced in the United States.
The settlements are expected to clear the way for Adani to travel freely to the US without the risk of ongoing criminal proceedings.
Fraud Charges Officially Dropped
The criminal case had been filed in 2024, when US prosecutors accused Adani and senior company officials of allegedly paying bribes to Indian officials linked to renewable energy contracts and misleading American investors.
Adani and his companies consistently denied wrongdoing.
In a regulatory filing, Adani Green Energy confirmed that the Justice Department had filed a motion seeking dismissal of the charges against Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and other officials.
A US District Court in the Eastern District of New York subsequently approved the dismissal order.
Trump Administration Shift Reportedly Influenced Case
American media reports suggested the decision reflected a broader shift away from aggressive foreign bribery prosecutions under the administration of Donald Trump.
The New York Times reported that Adani recently hired a new legal team led by prominent attorney Robert J Giuffra Jr, who also serves as one of Trump’s legal advisers.
Reports indicated that Giuffra met Justice Department officials last month and raised concerns regarding the prosecution.
The newspaper further reported that Adani’s lawyers highlighted plans by the conglomerate to invest US$10 billion in the United States and create 15,000 jobs.
The investment pledge reportedly echoed commitments Adani made shortly after Trump’s 2024 election victory.
Separate SEC and Iran Sanctions Settlements
Last week, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission also moved to drop a separate civil fraud case against Adani and his nephew after the pair agreed to pay a combined US$18 million settlement.
The agreement did not include admission or denial of wrongdoing but barred future violations of US anti-fraud and securities laws.
Separately, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced that Adani Enterprises had settled allegations involving imports of liquefied petroleum gas allegedly originating from Iran.
According to the Treasury Department, the company processed transactions worth about US$192 million between November 2023 and June 2025 through Dubai-based suppliers allegedly linked to Iranian-origin gas.
Adani, ranked among the world’s richest individuals by Forbes, controls one of India’s largest conglomerates with interests spanning ports, airports, energy, logistics, and infrastructure.
