WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The re-election campaign of US President Joe Biden and a Democratic Party committee have freezed donations from an Indian-American businessman amid allegations that he falsely claimed to be associated with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). A Biden campaign official stated that a $50,000 donation to the Biden Victory Fund made by Gaurav Srivastava, who claimed to be associated with the CIA, last April was put in escrow due to concerns about its source and legality, according to Politico.
Similarly, a spokesperson from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which received nearly $290,000 last year from Srivastava, stated that the committee has set aside the funds for the “foreseeable future” as a precautionary measure. The decision to freeze the funds follows media reports questioning Srivastava’s business practices and philanthropy.

President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign said it has raised $10 million in the 24 hours following a fiery State of the Union address, where he accused Donald Trump of threatening democracy and torpedoing a bill to tackle US immigration woes. While Srivastava, based in Los Angeles, has been active in various charitable causes, a profile by Project Brazen raised doubts about his integrity, including claims of false CIA ties.

The Atlantic Council, a think tank dealing with international affairs, cut ties with Srivastava after struggling to verify his background, reported Politico.

Srivastava, with his wife Sharon, donated over $1 million to the think tank for its Global Food Security Forum in Bali in November 2022. The businessman manages a charitable organization named after himself and his wife, the ‘Gaurav and Sharon Srivastava Family Foundation’.

The foundation, started in 2015, serves communities worldwide that lack the fundamental resources available in the United States. Reports have also questioned Srivastava’s identity and employment details.

Despite claiming to work for Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Management (AECOM) in campaign filings, the global infrastructure firm has denied employing him in the US. Srivastava later listed himself as the chairman of Unity Resource Group, a security operations company, reported Politico.

Connections between Srivastava and President Biden extend beyond donations.

Unity Resources Group briefly employed a lobbying firm led by former Biden aide Ankit Desai, and Srivastava reportedly met Biden personally last year.

Gaurav Srivastava, listing AECOM as his employer, donated $6,600 to Representative Mikie Sherrill’s campaign. He also gave $3,300 to Senator Maria Cantwell, this time listing Unity Resources Group as his employer. Democratic politicians, including Senator Mark Warner and Robert Menendez, received donations of $6,600 each from Srivastava, prompting them to redirect the funds to charities amid the controversy.