A sweeping 44-page federal indictment filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California has alleged that a Punjab-based criminal gang evolved into a transnational organised crime syndicate with more than 1,000 members and associates operating across five continents, generating millions of dollars through murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering and human smuggling. The indictment, announced on 17 July, represents one of the most detailed public accounts yet by US authorities of an alleged criminal enterprise originating in India.

Key Charges and Defendants

The indictment charges 15 defendants, including alleged gang leader Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Indian national Nitish Kaushal, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Vermont after being placed on the bureau's Most Wanted list earlier in the week. According to US prosecutors, the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group originated in Punjab under Bhagwanpuria's leadership. He was formerly associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi before allegedly establishing an independent criminal network that eventually became a rival organisation.

The indictment alleges the group transformed from a regional criminal outfit into, in prosecutors' words, 'a transnational criminal syndicate headquartered in India' with members and associates across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. More than 100 of those members and associates were allegedly based within the United States alone.

Recruitment, Violence and Social Media

One of the indictment's most striking allegations concerns the organisation's recruitment methods. Prosecutors allege the gang deliberately targeted vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Punjab — including minors — because they faced lower criminal penalties if caught. Recruiters allegedly promised money, notoriety, influence and pathways out of India through student or work visas.

In some cases, according to the indictment, recruits were paid as little as ₹20,000 (approximately $200) to carry out murders on the organisation's behalf. Loyal members were allegedly rewarded by being sent to operate in countries including the United States and Canada. The court filing further alleges that members publicly claimed responsibility for acts of violence on social media to build the organisation's reputation and instil fear.

Drug Trafficking and Firearms Operations

The indictment outlines what prosecutors describe as an extensive international narcotics distribution network. Jaggu Bhagwanpuria allegedly personally managed drug trafficking routes in the United States through which members transported cocaine, methamphetamine and other narcotics across the country and into Canada. Regional networks allegedly collected narcotics in Southern California before loading them onto long-haul semi-trucks bound for destinations across the eastern United States and the US-Canada border. A standard shipment allegedly contained 100 kilograms or more of cocaine or methamphetamine.

Separately, the indictment alleges the organisation developed a firearms trafficking operation, with members acquiring weapons and ammunition through straw purchasers in Nevada before selling them domestically or smuggling them into Canada.

Extortion Network and Alleged Police Complicity

The alleged extortion operation described in the indictment stretched well beyond US borders. Gang members reportedly collected detailed information on targets, often focusing on relatives living in India, and contacted victims through encrypted messaging applications with threats of violence unless payments were made.

Notably, the indictment specifically names Gurinderjit Singh, identified as a law enforcement officer in Punjab, alleging he assisted organisation members by pursuing fabricated criminal cases against victims before seeking payments to have those cases withdrawn. Those allegations remain unproven in court. One section of the indictment further alleges that gang members worked with corrupt law enforcement officials in Punjab to facilitate such extortion schemes — a claim that, if substantiated, would point to institutional vulnerabilities within the state's policing apparatus.

Operations from Behind Bars

The indictment claims Jaggu Bhagwanpuria continued directing global operations from a jail in India using contraband mobile phones and internet-based communication devices, overseeing drug trafficking, extortion and acts of violence carried out by associates overseas. Prosecutors further allege that members understood leaving the organisation was extremely difficult, with those considered disloyal facing violent retaliation against themselves or their family members, particularly relatives in India.

The charges remain allegations at this stage, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. As the case moves through the US federal court system, the full scope of the alleged network's reach — and any diplomatic or law enforcement cooperation between India and the United States — is expected to come under sharper scrutiny.