Indian man posed as CIA agent, wooed Indonesian President for defence deals

US-based businessman Gaurav Srivastava, who was born in Lucknow, allegedly posed as a CIA agent to gain access to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his inner circle, and secure preliminary defence agreements. Investigations said the proposed deals never materialised, while Srivastava denied posing as a CIA operative and rejected all allegations.

An Indian-born American businessman named Gaurav Srivastava who has been accused of falsely presenting himself as a CIA operative, allegedly cultivated close ties with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and his inner circle, securing multiple preliminary agreements linked to billions of dollars in prospective defence deals before the arrangements eventually collapsed.

According to investigations by Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Indonesia-based publication Tempo, Srivastava, who was born and raised in Lucknow and now lives in the US, built relationships with Indonesia's political and business elite while claiming to possess deep connections within the US intelligence and defence establishment.

Srivastava has consistently denied posing as a CIA agent, describing the allegations as fabrications spread by his former business partner, Dutch commodities' trader, Niels Troost.

The controversy has gained fresh attention following civil lawsuits filed by Troost in US courts. The complaints accuse Srivastava of fraud, extortion and misrepresentation, while referring to recorded conversations in which Srivastava allegedly claimed to be working for the CIA. According to Tempo, Troost has described Srivastava as "a brazen con man of remarkable skill".

Beyond expanding his business interests in Indonesia, Srivastava also built political connections in Washington, DC. He donated more than US$1 million to Democratic Party leaders and candidates, and was photographed with then-President Joe Biden.

HOW DID SRIVASTAVA GAIN CLOSE ACCESS TO PRESIDENT PRABOWO?

According to Tempo's investigation, Gaurav Srivastava began cultivating ties with Indonesia's defence establishment in 2020, when Prabowo Subianto was serving as defence minister under President Joko Widodo.

Troost, who has filed a lawsuit, told investigators that Srivastava frequently claimed to visit and stay at Prabowo's Hambalang estate and portrayed himself as someone who had helped restore Prabowo's access to the US after a two-decade visa ban linked to allegations of human rights abuses during his military career.

During one visit to Prabowo's residence in 2022, Troost said he observed staff greeting Srivastava warmly, reinforcing the impression that the businessman enjoyed privileged access to Indonesia's future president. Srivastava was also publicly visible alongside Prabowo at several high-profile events. He accompanied the then defence minister during meetings in Washington DC in October 2020, where US defence contractors presented military equipment proposals to the Indonesian delegation.

Former acting US Defence Secretary Christopher Miller later confirmed that Srivastava attended discussions concerning the potential sale of American fighter aircraft to Indonesia. However, Miller denied that Srivastava represented the US government or enjoyed any official role.

"My assessment... was that he was simply a fraudster... an outsider who lingered around these kinds of interactions and tried to exploit the appearance of access and influence," Miller told Tempo.

Srivastava was later photographed alongside Prabowo and senior Indonesian officials during additional meetings in Jakarta and Washington, as well as at the Global Food Security Forum in Bali in 2022, where he introduced Prabowo as his "dearest friend."

COMPANIES OWNED BY SRIVASTAVA OBTAINED MULTIPLE DEFENCE DEALS

Between 2020 and 2022, companies controlled by Srivastava obtained five preliminary defence procurement agreements from Indonesia's Defence Ministry and state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

The proposed transactions covered an ambitious list of military acquisitions, including, 36 F-15 fighter jets, 30 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, maintenance support for C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and a joint operation command-and-control centre.

One of the most significant proposals involved Indonesia's planned purchase of 36 F-15 fighter jets. In August 2022, the US government approved the potential sale, valued at approximately $13.9 billion, although the Defence Security Cooperation Agency announcement made no reference to Srivastava or any of his companies.

Indonesia's Defence Ministry later confirmed that the letters of intent cited in the investigation did exist but stressed they were exploratory documents rather than legally binding contracts.

"The entire process of Indonesian defence cooperation and procurement is always carried out with the utmost caution, prioritising the principles of good governance, national interest, and compliance with applicable mechanisms and regulations," Jakarta's defence ministry spokesperson Rico Sirait told Tempo.

Ultimately, none of the agreements resulted in actual purchases. Investigators found that the companies receiving the preliminary agreements, Orbimo Corporation, Zegasus Corporation, Constentis Corporation and later Unity Accipiter Corporation, had virtually no experience in defence procurement.

Corporate records showed some were incorporated only around the time the Indonesian ministry issued the letters. Tempo reported that two of the companies were registered in the US state of Wyoming on the very day Indonesia signed its letters of intent, meaning they formally came into existence only after the documents had already been issued because of the time difference between Indonesia and the US.

The firms reportedly had no revenue history or proven capability to supply advanced military equipment and have since been deregistered after failing to meet tax obligations.

A separate cooperation agreement signed in 2022 between state-owned aerospace manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Srivastava's Unity Accipiter Corporation, covering maintenance of C-130 aircraft worth about $150 million, was later terminated after the company failed due diligence checks.

SRIVASTAVA SECURED MILLIONS FROM COMPANY OWNED BY INDONESIAN PRESIDENT'S BROTHER

Beyond the defence sector, Srivastava also developed business ties with Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Prabowo's younger brother and chairman of the Arsari Group. For context, the Arsari Group is a Jakarta-based diversified investment company. It holds a vast portfolio spanning agribusiness, renewable power, agroforestry, mining, and digital infrastructure.

According to Troost's court filings, Srivastava persuaded him to transfer a 50% stake in his company after convincing him that his supposed CIA connections could protect the business from sanctions and unlock lucrative opportunities.

According to a Wall Street Journal investigation in 2024, Srivastava had allegedly persuaded Troost's company to extend a $51 million loan to the Arsari Group, claiming the funds would support biofuels projects and covert CIA operations.

A spokeswoman for Arsari told The Wall Street Journal that had terminated relationships with Srivastava and his Los Angeles lawyer after "commercial interactions that led us to question their integrity".

Instead, Troost alleged, nearly half the money was transferred back to entities linked to Srivastava and ultimately used to purchase a luxury mansion in Los Angeles worth about $25 million. Court documents stated that Srivastava later attempted to obtain the remaining funds through various legal and financial arrangements, but the Arsari Group allegedly declined to release the balance.

Indonesia's Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) confirmed to Tempo that it was examining the transaction alongside overseas counterparts and said any evidence of money laundering would be referred to law enforcement authorities.

The OCCRP and Tempo further reported that, while strengthening his business prospects in Indonesia, Srivastava also cultivated political influence in Washington, DC. He donated more than US$1 million to Democratic Party leaders and candidates in 2022 and 2023. He also managed to be photographed with then-President Joe Biden and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Srivastava has rejected all allegations against him. On his website, he accused Troost of orchestrating "an aggressive, scortched-earth disinformation campaign" through legal proceedings in multiple jurisdictions. He has also denied ever portraying himself as a CIA operative and suggested recordings cited in the lawsuits were fabricated. The California lawsuit remains ongoing.

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