India
oi-Prakash KL
Neville Roy Singham, an American technology entrepreneur and prominent supporter of left-wing political causes, has hit the headlines allegedly over “regime change” campaign in India.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has said he will raise allegations involving Singham, cryptocurrency, online gambling and foreign networks at a press conference in Jharkhand’s Dumka.
American tech entrepreneur Neville Roy Singham, known for supporting left-wing causes, faces allegations in India regarding regime change campaigns, cryptocurrency, and foreign networks, stemming from investigations into his funding of organizations like NewsClick and scrutiny by the US Congress.
Dubey’s allegations are political claims and have not been independently established. But Singham is not an unknown figure in India’s political discourse. His name had already come up prominently during the investigation into news portal NewsClick and alleged foreign funding and Chinese influence.
Who is Neville Roy Singham?
Going by the information available online, Singham was born in the US in 1954. His father, Archibald Singham, was a Sri Lankan-born political scientist and historian. He studied economics at Howard University and later moved into the technology sector.
In 1993, Singham founded ThoughtWorks, a software consultancy that specialised in technology and software development. The company grew from a relatively small operation into a global technology firm with a presence in multiple countries.
ThoughtWorks also worked with organisations outside the corporate world. Among the groups that received its pro bono services were Democracy Now! and the Grameen Foundation, according to a report in The Print.
#WATCH | Dumka, Jharkhand | BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, “My question to Congress is – Regarding Neville Roy Singham, the cartels involved in online gambling, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency—with which individuals from these circles has Rahul Gandhi met over the past five years? Which of these individuals have participated in his Bharat Jodo Yatra or other such journeys? Moreover, whenever he travels abroad, with which of these elements does he meet, and what kind of plans do they devise to destabilise the country?”
— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2026
Singham’s association with the company ended with its sale in 2017. British private-equity firm Apax Partners acquired ThoughtWorks in a deal reportedly valued at $785 million.
The transaction effectively gave Singham the financial base for the political and activist work for which he later became better known.
A Technology Entrepreneur With A Marxist Background
Singham’s political interests did not begin after he became wealthy.
As a young man in Detroit, he was associated with the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, a radical labour organisation influenced by Marxist and Maoist thought. In 1972, at the age of 18, he worked at a Chrysler plant in the city.
He later developed a public profile as a socialist and supporter of Marxist and anti-imperialist causes. His political outlook has also shaped the organisations he has chosen to support.
Singham is married to Jodie Evans, who co-founded CODEPINK, a US-based anti-war activist organisation.
Where Has His Money Gone?
Following the ThoughtWorks sale, Singham’s wealth became connected to a wider ecosystem of political activism, independent media and research.
Among the organisations associated with his funding are Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, BreakThrough News, The People’s Forum and CODEPINK. These organisations do not all perform the same function. Some focus on political research, others on journalism, activism or international campaigns.
One of the prominent figures in this network is Vijay Prashad, the executive director of Tricontinental. Prashad has written about Singham and his political thinking, including describing him as a Marxist who built a large technology company.
The extent and nature of Singham’s involvement with individual organisations has itself become a subject of scrutiny in the US.
Why Is China Part Of The Story?
Singham’s political activities have attracted particular attention because of his positions on China and his reported links to Chinese organisations and media ventures.
Media reports have said he worked as a strategic technical adviser to Huawei during the 2000s.
A 2023 investigation by The New York Times brought his financial network into much wider focus. The report examined a group of organisations that had received support from Singham and alleged that some of them had promoted narratives aligned with the Chinese government’s positions on contentious issues, including Xinjiang and Taiwan.
The report described a complicated funding structure involving nonprofits, donor-advised funds and other entities. The allegations triggered questions about whether money from wealthy individuals could indirectly help foreign governments or political interests shape public messaging.
Singham’s political supporters and organisations linked to him have rejected the suggestion that their work is directed by Beijing.
How Did He Become A Name In The NewsClick Case?
In India, Singham came to limelight through his connection with NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha.
In 2023, the Enforcement Directorate alleged financial links between Singham and the NewsClick network. The central agency had examined communications allegedly exchanged between Singham, Purkayastha and others concerning China.
Reports citing the investigation have claimed that a map showing Arunachal Pradesh as part of China was also exchanged between Singham and Purkayastha, The Print report had noted. These allegations form part of the wider case concerning alleged foreign funding and Chinese influence involving NewsClick.
They remain allegations arising from an investigation and should not be treated as proof of criminal wrongdoing by Singham unless established through legal proceedings.
The NewsClick controversy nevertheless made Singham a familiar name in Indian political and media circles.
Why Is The US Investigating His Network?
The scrutiny surrounding Singham is not confined to India.
The US House Ways and Means Committee has been examining the finances and organisational structures of three nonprofits associated with him – The People’s Forum, BreakThrough News and Tricontinental.
The congressional inquiry is looking at matters including funding sources, governance, communications with Singham and foreign entities, and overseas donations. The committee has questioned whether US tax-exempt organisations can be used to conceal foreign funding or allow foreign interests to exercise influence.
In October, committee chairman Jason Smith warned the three organisations that they had until October 20 to comply with congressional subpoenas issued earlier in the investigation.
Failure to comply, the committee said, could result in further action, including depositions involving 21 officials and staff members across the three organisations.
The proposed depositions cover eight people from The People’s Forum, seven from BreakThrough News and six from Tricontinental. The committee has also examined Singham’s reported connections with Chinese media ventures, including Shanghai Maku Cultural Communication.
In September 2026, Smith and John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, asked the US Treasury Department and IRS to examine the wider network.
The organisations involved have challenged the scrutiny. BreakThrough News has said it is being targeted because of its political position and has denied receiving editorial instructions from outside entities. Its lawyers have also raised First Amendment concerns.
Jason Smith (R-Missouri), said, “Here, the Committee’s concerns are rooted in the financing of The People’s Forum and its relationship to Neville Roy Singham, a former United States technology executive now residing in Shanghai with documented CCP affiliations. The People’s Forum has publicly acknowledged receiving funding from Mr. Singham, and public reporting indicates that over $20 million flowed to the organization from Mr. Singham and his wife between 2017 and 2022 – channeled through shell companies and donor-advised funds that, by design, obscure the true source of contributions.”
What Does Singham Have To Do With ‘Regime Change’?
This is where the current Indian political controversy begins.
BJP leaders have increasingly used Singham’s name while discussing what they describe as an international network attempting to influence political developments in India.
Dubey’s latest announcement is centred on precisely that allegation. He has said he will reveal details about connections involving Singham, cryptocurrency, online gambling and a purported “regime change” campaign.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari has separately raised allegations involving Progressive International, an international organisation associated with left-wing political activism. He has questioned whether organisations and political figures in India have coordinated with such international networks.
The claims have not established that Singham personally planned or directed protests or political movements in India.
That distinction is important.
Singham’s documented role is that of a wealthy former technology entrepreneur who has supported a range of left-wing political, media and research organisations. Investigations in India and the US have examined aspects of his financial network and its links to organisations and individuals.
Whether those links amount to direct foreign political intervention, however, is a separate question that requires evidence.
