Man accused of posing as CIA agent secured billion-dollar Indonesian defence deals

A businessman who allegedly posed as a CIA agent cultivated a relationship with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto — and secured preliminary agreements from Indonesia’s government to purchase tens of billions of dollars worth of fighter jets and other equipment.

The businessman, Gaurav Srivastava, did not respond to requests for comment on his Indonesian activities. On his website, Srivastava stated that accusations that he pretended to be a CIA agent were “gross fabrications” spread by his former business partner, Niels Troost, who was sanctioned by the U.K., European Union and Switzerland for trading Russian oil. 

The sanctions have since been lifted by the E.U. and Switzerland. 

Civil lawsuits filed by Troost in California and the Southern District of New York include references to recorded phone calls he collected as evidence in which Srivastava allegedly claimed to work for the CIA. 

Srivastava joined Prabowo, then defence minister, in high-level meetings in Washington D.C. and Jakarta in 2020 where military procurement was discussed. He received three “Letters of Intention to Purchase” the same year. 

The letters, obtained by OCCRP’s Indonesian partner Tempo, spelled out plans for the Indonesian government to acquire fighter jets and other defence materiel. Srivastava secured another letter of intent and a memorandum of understanding for two other defense procurement arrangements in 2021 and 2022. 

None of the agreements ultimately resulted in purchases by the Indonesian government. 

A spokesperson for Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense, Rico Sirait, confirmed the existence of the preliminary agreements, but stressed they did not constitute a binding contract. 

“The entire process of Indonesian defense cooperation and procurement is always carried out with utmost caution, prioritizing the principles of good governance, national interest, and compliance with applicable mechanisms and regulations,” he told Tempo.

Troost said in an email to reporters that Srivastava claimed that he visited and stayed frequently at Prabowo’s homes when he was Indonesia’s defense minister. 

Prabowo did not answer multiple requests for comment.

Over the course of 2020 and 2022, companies owned by Srivastava secured five preliminary agreements from Indonesia’s Defense Ministry, and a state-owned defence company. Prabowo was photographed with Srivastava and the company’s chief executive at a signing ceremony. The agreement was later announced at a press conference with the CEO.  

The proposed agreements covered 36 F-15 fighter jets, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and C-130 transport planes. In addition, one of Srivastava’s companies received a letter of intent to supply Indonesia’s defense ministry with a joint operations command and control center.

In 2022, the U.S. government announced its approval for the potential sale of 36 F-15 fighter jets along with their spare parts, which would have been worth $13.9 billion in total. 

Corporate records show the four companies controlled by Srivastava that secured the five agreements were shell companies with no experience in defence procurement. All have since been deregistered after failing to pay tax. The announcement from the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency did not mention these companies. 

Srivastava also developed ties with leading Indonesian business figures, including Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Prabowo’s brother, who chairs the Arsari Group.

Troost’s legal complaint explains that he was convinced Srivastava was a well-connected CIA operative, and he transferred 50 percent of his company to him believing he could help the business. Srivastava then “orchestrated” a $51-million loan from their company to the Arsari Group, the complaint says.

Troost claims Srivastava told him the $51-million loan would help fund a covert U.S. government program. However, according to the complaint, Srivastava allegedly convinced Arsari Group to transfer almost half the loan to him, and then used it to buy a $25-million mansion in Los Angeles.  

According to the legal complaint, Srivastava tried to convince the Arsari Group to transfer the remainder of the loan to him, but the company refused. 

Indonesia’s money laundering authority told Tempo it is looking into the transaction, and if they find evidence of wrongdoing they will refer it to law enforcement. 

Hashim did not respond to requests for comment. 

Although Srivastava did not reply to requests for comment, he has accused Troost on his website of perpetrating “an aggressive, scortched-earth [sic] disinformation campaign,” which began with legal complaints in the U.S., Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

For his part, in his California civil case, Troost calls Srivastava a “brazen con man of remarkable skill.”