Gautam Adani Relief: US Dept of Justice Likely to Drop Fraud Charges; Adani Stocks Surge Up to 3%
Adani Group stocks witnessed explosive gains on Friday after The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Reuters confirmed the US Department of Justice is moving to drop criminal fraud charges against Gautam Adani. The breakthrough follows a strategic meeting where Adani’s new legal team—led by Robert J. Giuffra Jr., argued a lack of jurisdiction. The resolution includes a $18 million SEC settlement and a $10 billion investment pledge into the US economy.
- Republic Business
- 2 min read
Shares of the Adani Group conglomerate surged in early trade on Friday, May 15, 2026, as the legal overhang that had haunted the group for over a year finally began to dissolve.
Investors went on a buying spree following reports from Reuters, The New York Times, and Bloomberg that the US Department of Justice is likely to drop criminal fraud and bribery charges against Chairman Gautam Adani as early as this week.
Adani Stocks
Flagship firm Adani Enterprises (ADEL) opened with a strong gap-up, hitting a peak of ₹2,803.10, a gain of 3.5%.
Other group stocks showed similar dominance:
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- Adani Ports (ADANIPORTS): Rallied 2.5% to hit a record high of ₹1,823.90.
- Adani Power: Jumped 3.2% to touch ₹229 on massive volumes.
- Adani Green Energy: Gained nearly 3% to reach ₹1,457, its best level since late 2024.
Gautam Adani’s personal net worth has reportedly rebounded to $109 billion, therefore, cementing his position as Asia’s wealthiest individual once again.
Why Is the US Dropping Charges?
This follows intervention by Adani’s new legal counsel, Robert J. Giuffra Jr. During a 100-slide presentation at the DOJ in Washington, the defense argued two major points. The defense contended that US prosecutors lacked authority because the alleged conduct took place entirely in India and the securities involved were not listed on US exchanges.
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The team also argued that there was no credible evidence linking Gautam Adani directly to the alleged $250 million bribery scheme.
SEC Deal
The resolution is reinforced by significant financial and strategic commitments:
- SEC Settlement: Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani have agreed to pay $18 million in civil penalties ($6M and $12M, respectively) to settle a parallel SEC case without admitting or denying wrongdoing.
- The Investment Offer: In the April DOJ meeting, Giuffra highlighted Adani’s commitment to invest $10 billion in US energy and infrastructure, a move expected to create 15,000 American jobs.