DOJ abandons billionaire's charges after Trump personal lawyer joins team: report

President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Boris Epshteyn, allegedly joined an Indian billionaire's criminal defense team — and the Justice Department then moved to drop the charges, according to a new Wall Street Journal investigation.

Epshteyn, who serves as Trump's legal coordinator and closest legal adviser, was said to have joined the defense of Gautam Adani — an Indian billionaire indicted in October 2024 on charges he schemed to pay more than $250 million in bribes to Indian officials.

The alleged bribes were meant to secure solar-energy contracts. Initial defense lawyers had already tried and failed to get the case dropped. By spring 2025, senior Justice Department officials had greenlit proceeding with the prosecution.

Then Sullivan & Cromwell — a white-shoe law firm that also represents Trump — took over Adani's defense last July. Around that same time, the Adani family told associates that Epshteyn was helping them.

That account came from seven sources familiar with the matter, the Journal reported. Epshteyn never appeared in court filings or attended meetings with prosecutors. But his name was discussed inside the Justice Department.

After two presentations by Sullivan & Cromwell lawyers, senior Justice Department officials on May 18 asked a federal judge in Brooklyn to dismiss all charges. The motion notably lacked the signatures of the line prosecutors who built the case — a sign of their disagreement.

Epshteyn has spent nearly a decade at Trump's side, starting as a senior adviser on his 2016 campaign. He helped secure Justice Department posts for several officials — including Trent McCotter, the principal associate deputy attorney general who had the final say over the Adani dismissal.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who defended Trump through multiple criminal prosecutions, was previously Epshteyn's own criminal-defense lawyer.

"The claims in this personal attack are false, malicious, and defamatory," Epshteyn said in a statement. The Adani Group said it "have not retained him in any capacity."

Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Blanche demanding an explanation.

"This administration has made clear that it is not the world police," a Justice Department spokeswoman said.