India
oi-Swastika Sruti
An Indian-origin businessman Gaurav Srivastava is in the limelight after an investigation claimed that he falsely portrayed himself as a CIA operative to gain influence among Indonesian political and business leaders. The report said he used the allegations to gain access to senior officials and pursue defence contracts worth billions of dollars.
An investigation by Tempo and OCCRP alleges Indian-origin businessman Gaurav Srivastava falsely claimed to be a CIA operative to influence Indonesian officials like Prabowo Subianto and pursue billion-dollar defense contracts. A related civil lawsuit by Neil Troost includes fraud allegations against Srivastava.
The allegations come after a joint investigation by Indonesian publication Tempo and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Srivastava allegedly used his alleged intelligence links to secure business opportunities and cultivate relationships with powerful people.
Who Is Gaurav Srivastava?
Gaurav Srivastava is an Indian-origin businessman, who is said to have entered the international business circuit through companies operating in the defence and strategic sectors.
The probe found he had developed close relations with senior Indonesian officials, including current President Prabowo Subianto, when he was Indonesia’s Defence Minister.
The report says Srivastava allegedly pretended to be a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer working under “non-official cover” to government officials and business executives.
It reportedly earned him the nickname “Mr G” among some Indonesian officials.
The investigators said these claims allegedly helped him win credibility as he pursued high-value defence projects.
Alleged Claims Of Intelligence Connections
Srivastava told the investigation he had contacts with powerful American political and military figures.
He reportedly told associates that he had worked with famous people on clandestine assignments and had close ties to former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark and senior White House officials.
The report also said Srivastava claimed to have helped identify the perpetrators of the 2002 Bali bombings and to have helped get Prabowo Subianto removed from a long-standing US immigration blacklist. These allegations have become part of the controversy surrounding him.
Defence Deals Worth Billions
Srivastava’s companies allegedly obtained five preliminary agreements with Indonesia’s Defence Ministry and a state-owned defence company between 2020 and 2022.
Proposed projects include the supply of F-15 fighter aircraft, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and C-130 transport aircraft, and the development of a joint command and control centre for Indonesia’s defence establishment.
But the investigation found none of these defence purchases eventually went through.
Besides, the report also claims that some of the companies linked to Srivastava were shell companies and had no official role when the US later approved a multi-billion dollar sale of F-15 fighter jets to Indonesia.
Civil Lawsuit Filed By Business Associate
The allegations against Srivastava also feature in a civil lawsuit filed by Dutch oil executive Neil Troost.
According to court filings cited in the investigation, Troost claimed Srivastava falsely represented himself as a CIA officer and persuaded him to transfer a 50 per cent stake in his company.
Troost described Srivastava as “a brazen con man of remarkable skill” in the legal filings.
He further alleged that Srivastava arranged a loan worth 51 million US dollars from their company to Indonesia’s Arsari Group. According to the lawsuit, Srivastava claimed the funds would support a confidential US government programme.
Troost has also alleged that a large portion of the money was later diverted and used to purchase a luxury mansion in Los Angeles. These allegations are part of ongoing civil litigation.
