Justice Department Moves to Drop the $250 Million Bribery Case Against Gautam Adani

Federal prosecutors moved on May 18 to dismiss the criminal case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, who had been charged in connection with an alleged $250 million bribery scheme tied to a large solar project, including counts under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The filing said the government would not devote further resources to the prosecution, invoking prosecutorial discretion. The move followed the administration's February 2025 suspension of FCPA enforcement. Reporting indicated that Adani's legal team, led by Trump's former personal attorney Robert J. Giuffra Jr., had presented prosecutors with a proposal in which charges would be dropped in exchange for a commitment to invest $10 billion in the United States and create 15,000 jobs. Treasury separately settled a related civil sanctions matter for $275 million.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act exists to keep bribery out of international commerce involving U.S. markets and investors. Resolving a criminal bribery indictment in a context where investment pledges are reported to have been on the table raises the question of whether enforcement decisions are being priced rather than adjudicated.

A federal judge must approve the dismissal. In June, the court ordered Adani to answer questions about whether a quid pro quo existed, and the judge publicly questioned the department's decision.