The fake spy who scammed the movers and shakers of DC

NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT

Los Angeles, CA, September 2, 2024: The FBI is investigating Gaurav Srivastava, a green card-holding Indian national accused of wire fraud, money laundering, and falsely claiming to be a CIA agent and U.S. citizen. Srivastava’s elaborate scam, detailed in an article by the Wall Street Journal, involved deceiving political and business leaders while moving in elite circles in Washington DC.

Srivastava, originally from Lucknow, India, falsely positioned himself as a covert CIA operative and used this fabricated identity to gain access to powerful figures in DC. Among his targets were political leaders, including senators and congressmen, and notable individuals such as General Wesley Clark, the former NATO commander. Many of these individuals severed ties with Srivastava once his true identity was questioned.

The Wall Street Journal revealed that Srivastava’s fraudulent activities also extended to international dealings. He misled leaders in Africa, including those in Sudan and Libya, and offered false promises of U.S. government support. In Washington, he claimed connections with top officials to legitimize his actions, even using these claims to donate over $1 million to political causes and securing meetings with President Joe Biden.

Srivastava, who donated over $1 million to the Democrats while posing as a CIA operative, is now considered a national security threat. Earlier this year, Politico reported that both the now-defunct Biden campaign and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) froze Srivastava’s donations due to false personal details and emerging reports of his alleged con.

The scam began to unravel when Niels Troost, a Geneva-based trader, grew suspicious of Srivastava’s offer to broker Russian oil deals with U.S. government approval. Investigations revealed a trail of fraudulent activity in both the U.S. and India, where his family business, the Veecon Group, had a history of failed ventures. Despite claiming CIA backing, Srivastava used his fraudulent influence to fund a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a $24.5 million villa in Los Angeles.

Srivastava and his wife, Sharon, also run the Gaurav & Sharon Srivastava Family Foundation, which purportedly focuses on global issues such as food and energy security. However, with the foundation now under scrutiny, questions have emerged about its legitimacy.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Joe Wallace described Srivastava’s scheme: “Srivastava’s story — part Austin Powers, part James Bond — shows the ease with which someone with money and moxie can access Washington’s most influential people.”

Despite mounting evidence, including lawsuits in California, Srivastava and his lawyers continue to deny all allegations.