Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, also known as “Nick,” has pleaded guilty to charges related to a plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, along with officials from the FBI and DEA. Gupta entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and is scheduled for sentencing on May 29, 2026.
“Nikhil Gupta plotted to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He thought that from outside this country he could kill someone in it without consequence, simply for exercising their American right to free speech. But he was wrong, and he will face justice. Our message to all nefarious foreign actors should be clear: steer clear of the United States and our people.”
FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky stated: “Nikhil Gupta was a key participant in a murder-for-hire plot against a U.S. citizen, a murder that was prevented thanks to the actions of U.S. law enforcement. The U.S. citizen became a target of transnational repression solely for exercising their freedom of speech. The message from the FBI should be clear—no matter where you are located if you try to harm our citizens we will not stop until you are brought to justice.”
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole commented: “It is often a slippery and dangerous slope from drug trafficking to deadly violence, as demonstrated by the murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by international narcotics and weapons trafficker Nikhil Gupta. This case is a stark reminder of the ruthless lengths criminals will go to in order to further their illegal enterprises. I commend the men and women of DEA’s New York Task Force Division for their outstanding investigative work successfully foiling Gupta’s assassination plot. Let there be no doubt: DEA remains steadfast in its mission to protect America. We will continue to leverage our superior investigative expertise and unmatched intelligence capabilities to dismantle the drug trafficking networks that threaten our safety and well-being of our communities.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr., added: “At the direction and coordination of an Indian government employee, Nikhil Gupta plotted to assassinate a United States citizen on American soil, facilitating a foreign adversary’s unlawful effort to silence a vocal critic of the Indian government,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr.“The FBI will continue to aggressively defend the homeland against any foreign adversaries who target our citizens for exercising their constitutionally protected rights.”
Court documents show that during 2023, Gupta collaborated with others including Vikash Yadav—a government employee with India’s Cabinet Secretariat—to plan an assassination targeting an attorney and political activist living in the United States who leads an organization advocating for Punjab's secession from India.
Gupta communicated with Yadav about hiring someone for this task; however, his contact turned out to be working confidentially with law enforcement agencies such as the DEA and FBI instead of being part of criminal circles as believed by Gupta.
In June 2023, after providing information about the intended victim—including address details—Gupta directed undercover agents (posing as hitmen) regarding timing around high-profile events such as an official visit by India's Prime Minister.
On June 30, 2023, authorities arrested Gupta in Czech Republic before extraditing him back to stand trial in New York.
Gupta faces up to ten years each on counts related to murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges plus twenty years maximum for money laundering conspiracy; actual sentencing rests at judicial discretion.
U.S., Czech law enforcement cooperation played roles throughout investigation phases leading up to arrest/extradition proceedings while multiple units within DOJ handled prosecution efforts.
