美国联邦检察官周三指控阿达尼等人承诺向印度政府官员行贿逾2.5亿美元以获取太阳能合约，并在向美国投资者融资时隐瞒了这一计划。After being sued by US prosecutors, the stock and bond prices of Gautam Adani's company plummeted, causing his wealth growth for this year to evaporate.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows that the net worth of the second richest person in Asia shrunk by over 15 billion US dollars earlier on Thursday. As of 12:00 noon Mumbai time, his wealth is around 73 billion US dollars, lower than the 84.3 billion US dollars at the end of 2023, and lower than the peak of 122 billion US dollars reached on June 3rd this year.
Since short-selling institution Hindenburg Research released a report in January 2023, accusing of fraud and poor corporate governance, this tycoon has been on a roller coaster ride in the past two years. The latest twist could lead his conglomerate into turmoil. The Indian securities regulator started investigating the group last year, which has not concluded yet.
Gautam Adani
US federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged Adani and others for allegedly promising to bribe Indian government officials with over 0.25 billion US dollars to secure a solar energy contract, and concealing this plan when raising funds from American investors.
However, Adani Group denied the allegations against the director of Adani Green Energy Ltd. by the United States on Thursday, stating the intention to seek all possible legal means to resolve it.
Adani's infrastructure business empire spans mining, ports, roads, airports, thermal and renewable energy. Recently, it bounced back and raised billions of dollars in new equity from global private equity and sovereign wealth funds. With ample resources for group debt refinancing, Adani's various companies continue to grow and expand their businesses.
Since last year, the billionaire has made several acquisitions, especially in the infrastructure and cement industries, and has secured new government contracts in India and overseas.
However, Nirmalya Kumar, a marketing professor at Singapore Management University, said that the latest events are much more serious than the Exton report, as they involve the USA government and may have repercussions in the Indian political arena.
"His international plans will be affected," the scholar said on Thursday.
