US DOJ May Drop Fraud Charges Against Gautam Adani, SEC Settlement Nears: What We Know

Udaipur, May 15, 2026: The Department of Justice in the US has, according to media reports, agreed to drop the fraud and bribery charges against Gautam Adani. This comes after the indian billionaire and his nephew Sagar Adani agreed to pay the proposed USD 18 million penalty to settle the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) allegations linked to one the group companies.

As per Bar and Bench, the SEC proposed a USD 6 million penalty on Gautam Adani and USD 12 million penalty on Sagar Adani. Both consented to the proposal as the judgement await court approval. These penalties will only absolve them of civil consequences.

What Was The Charge

As per reports, the bribery case was lodged by the SEC against Adani Green Energy Limited, for false and misleading statements in connection with a bond offering in 2021. While agreeing to the proposed penalty, the Adanis have neither admitted nor denied these allegations.

As per the complain filed by SEC, Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani allegedly devised a scheme to pay or promise bribes nearing hundreds of millions of US dollars to Indian government officials. These bribers were to be given to commitments to purchase energy at above market rates.

Political Reactions

Leader of Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi, in his Tweet on X said, "The compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani's release".

The controversy has drawn further attention because Gautam Adani’s legal representation in the matter reportedly includes a lawyer who also serves as personal counsel to Donald Trump, adding another layer of political interest to the case.

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