New Delhi/Patna: Indian-origin businessman Gaurav Srivastava, who is already facing fraud-related legal proceedings in the United States, has been accused in an international investigation of using false claims about his intelligence connections to gain access to senior Indonesian officials and pursue defence-related financial transactions.
The allegations were published in a joint investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Indonesian magazine Tempo. The report centres on events between 2020 and 2022, when Indonesia’s current President Prabowo Subianto was serving as defence minister.
Allegations Linked To Proposed Defence Deals
According to the investigation, Srivastava allegedly presented himself as a non-official operative of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and claimed he could facilitate the procurement of advanced military equipment, including 36 F-15 fighter aircraft, Black Hawk helicopters and military command systems.
The report alleges that these representations helped him secure financing of approximately Rs 425 crore linked to proposed defence transactions.
Investigators further alleged that four companies involved in the proposed deals were shell entities that were later dissolved after failing to meet tax obligations. The report estimated that the proposed F-15 aircraft deal alone was valued at around Rs 1.32 lakh crore.
Indonesian Government Denies Financial Loss
According to the report, Srivastava developed a close relationship with Prabowo Subianto, who allegedly referred to him as “Mr G”. The investigation also claims he used personal information about the then defence minister to strengthen his credibility.
However, Indonesian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Rico Sirait said the proposed defence transactions never progressed to the stage of a final agreement. As a result, the government did not incur any direct financial loss.
US Lawsuit Details Additional Claims
Court filings in the United States, cited by the investigation, allege that Srivastava claimed to have close ties with senior US political and security figures, including then President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Senator Chuck Schumer.
According to the lawsuit, he used photographs taken at public events and political gatherings to support claims of high-level government access. The filings allege these representations were used to gain the confidence of business associates and foreign officials.
Intelligence Claims Challenged
The US lawsuit also alleges that Srivastava falsely described himself as a CIA “Non-Official Cover” operative and recounted stories of covert intelligence missions to establish credibility.
According to the court filings, he claimed to have trained at the CIA’s training facility known as “The Farm” and attributed physical scars to injuries sustained during intelligence operations. He also allegedly claimed to have escaped captivity during a mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2008.
The lawsuit disputes these claims, alleging that the scars resulted from kidney surgery during childhood rather than covert operations.
Legal Proceedings Continue
Srivastava has been facing multiple fraud-related allegations in the United States since 2024. The allegations reported by OCCRP, Tempo and in the US court filings remain subject to ongoing legal proceedings, and no court has issued a final determination on the claims.
