WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The re-election campaign of Joe Biden and a Democratic Party committee have taken action to freeze donations from an Indian-American businessman, Gaurav Srivastava, after allegations surfaced that he falsely claimed ties to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
A Biden campaign official confirmed that a $50,000 donation made by Srivastava to the Biden Victory Fund last April has been placed in escrow due to concerns regarding its source and legality. Similarly, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which received nearly $290,000 from Srivastava last year, has decided to set aside the funds for the “foreseeable future” as a precautionary measure.
The decision to freeze the donations follows media reports questioning Srivastava’s business practices and philanthropic activities, with doubts raised about his integrity, including claims of false CIA ties.
Srivastava, based in Los Angeles, has been involved in various charitable causes through the ‘Gaurav and Sharon Srivastava Family Foundation.’ However, reports have surfaced questioning his identity and employment details.
Despite listing Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Management (AECOM) as his employer in campaign filings, the global infrastructure firm has denied employing him in the US. Srivastava later identified himself as the chairman of Unity Resource Group, a security operations company.
Connections between Srivastava and President Biden extend beyond donations, as he reportedly met Biden personally last year. Additionally, Unity Resources Group briefly employed a lobbying firm led by former Biden aide Ankit Desai.
Democratic politicians, including Senator Mark Warner and Robert Menendez, received donations from Srivastava, prompting them to redirect the funds to charities amid the controversy.
