FBI Ten Most Wanted: How Goldy Brar Allegedly Ran Bishnoi Gang Operations From the US

The FBI’s decision to place Satinderjeet Singh, better known as Goldy Brar, on its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list has brought fresh international attention to the alleged activities of the Lawrence Bishnoi criminal network. U.S. authorities accuse Brar of playing a senior role in the organisation’s North American operations, with allegations involving racketeering, targeted killings, extortion and drug trafficking.

According to the FBI, Brar operated from the United States while allegedly helping coordinate activities linked to the Bishnoi organisation. Authorities say the network developed into a transnational criminal enterprise with alleged links spanning India, the United States, Canada and other countries. The FBI has announced a reward of up to $1 million for information that leads to Brar’s capture.

The case provides an insight into how investigators believe a criminal organisation can continue operating across international borders even when some of its senior figures are already in custody. Lawrence Bishnoi, who is imprisoned in India, has been accused by U.S. prosecutors of continuing to exercise influence over the organisation through communications from prison. According to the federal indictment, responsibilities were delegated to senior associates, including Brar, who allegedly helped relay instructions and coordinate criminal activities outside India.

U.S. prosecutors allege that the organisation relied on threats, intimidation and violence as part of its extortion activities. Investigators say members used encrypted communication platforms to contact targets and issue threats against them or their families. The indictment also alleges that Brar and other associates were involved in extortion attempts in California, including demands for large sums of money.

The allegations against the network also extend to narcotics trafficking. U.S. authorities say members were involved in the movement of drugs including cocaine and methamphetamine between the United States and Canada. Investigators have further alleged that members of the organisation were involved in stealing cocaine from rival trafficking groups in the Los Angeles area. According to U.S. authorities, hundreds of kilograms of cocaine were allegedly taken during operations between 2024 and 2025.

Another major allegation in the case concerns the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. The U.S. indictment alleges that Bishnoi and Brar ordered the killing. Nijjar was shot outside a Sikh temple on June 18, 2023. The U.S. case is separate from the diplomatic dispute surrounding Nijjar's killing, and the American indictment does not allege that the Indian government was involved, according to Reuters.

The FBI’s decision to add Brar to its Ten Most Wanted list marks a significant escalation in the international search for him. The designation places his case among the bureau’s highest-profile fugitive investigations and reflects the seriousness with which American authorities are treating the alleged criminal network.

The development also follows a broader U.S. crackdown on India-based organised crime groups. American authorities have announced dozens of charges against alleged members and associates of transnational criminal organisations, involving offences ranging from drug trafficking and extortion to violent crimes. The investigations involve multiple U.S. law-enforcement agencies and cooperation with international partners.

The Goldy Brar case illustrates the growing challenge faced by law-enforcement agencies when criminal networks operate across several jurisdictions. Investigators may have to track financial transactions in one country, communications in another and alleged criminal activity somewhere else. Recruitment, logistics, money movement and operational instructions can also be distributed among different associates, making such investigations considerably more complex.

The FBI’s case against Brar remains part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The allegations made by U.S. authorities have not been established in court, and defendants charged in the related cases are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The international search for Brar is expected to keep attention focused on the alleged North American activities of the Bishnoi network and its wider connections.