Story perspectives

DOJ Dismisses Gautam Adani $265M Bribery Case

7/18/2026

Summary

Adani Case Dismissed

DOJ dismissed criminal case against billionaire Gautam Adani after deputy attorney general Trent McCotter called it “foreign” and warned against a “quagmire.”
Prosecutors alleged Adani offered $265 million in bribes to Indian officials.
Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.’s May 11 email rejected Adani’s $10 billion investment offer, leading him to sign the May 18 dismissal motion.
Adani nephew Sagar Adani paid $18 million to settle the SEC case.
Adani Enterprises paid $275 million to resolve a Treasury probe.

Summary

Garaufis Orders

Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis ordered Gautam Adani to file an affidavit by July 15, 2026.
The court noted R. Trent McCotter’s statement suggesting a possible undisclosed agreement.
Adani’s affidavit claims his November 2024 X post pledging $10 billion preceded the indictment.
Department of Justice (DOJ) described the indictment as a “name and shame” action unsealed in the Biden administration’s final days.
Rule 48(a) requires the judge to find the government’s dismissal reasons substantial.

History

Historical Context

The DOJ’s 2006 conviction of Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling, who received a 24-year sentence, and the $7.2 billion shareholder settlement in 2008 created a benchmark for major corporate prosecutions. In May 2024 the same department dismissed a $265 million bribery case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, reflecting the lasting influence of the Enron precedent on cross-border investigations.

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Adani Case Dismissed

DOJ dismissed criminal case against billionaire Gautam Adani after deputy attorney general Trent McCotter called it “foreign” and warned against a “quagmire.”
Prosecutors alleged Adani offered $265 million in bribes to Indian officials.
Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.’s May 11 email rejected Adani’s $10 billion investment offer, leading him to sign the May 18 dismissal motion.
Adani nephew Sagar Adani paid $18 million to settle the SEC case.
Adani Enterprises paid $275 million to resolve a Treasury probe.

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