Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Justin Rohrlich

Daring CIA ops, a nasty scar and White House ties: Lawsuit claims a ‘fake spy’ wove epic fantasy to steal a $350M oil firm

Oil trader Niels Troost (top) has filed a lawsuit against businessman Gaurav Srivastava (below left with Vice President JD Vance; and right with former President Joe Biden) - (Provided/Marco Serventi; US District Court for the Central District of California)

When Niels Troost first met Gaurav Srivastava, he thought his problems were solved.

The Dutch-born oil trader, who dealt for years in Russian crude, was facing potential U.S. sanctions after Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Srivastava, an Indian businessman living in California, said he was uniquely positioned to help.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.