Hindenburg is what’s known as an activist short seller, an investor that takes aim at companies it suspects of fraud and exposes the wrongdoing. Short sellers then profit from investments when a target company’s share price falls. Hindenburg has taken on about 30 companies and made its name when it raised evidence of fraud at Nikola, the electric vehicle maker, which led to the ouster and conviction of Nikola’s founder, Trevor Milton.
The Rise and Troubles of India’s Adani Group
The Indian conglomerate, which controls ports, coal mines and more, is facing fraud allegations that have caused it to lose billions of dollars in value.
The Adani Group has dismissed Hindenburg’s allegations, and called its report a “calculated attack on India, the independence, integrity and quality of Indian institutions, and the growth story and ambition of India.” Adani has threatened to sue Hindenburg, which responded by saying it would welcome a suit in the United States, where it could demand Adani documents as part of legal discovery.
Mr. Adani, 60, has styled himself as an industrialist. His company controls ports, coal mines, food businesses, airports and more, but critics claim Mr. Adani’s political connections set him apart, saying his ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India have helped the company win lucrative contracts.
Mr. Adani has rejected claims of preferential treatment. As his business empire has grown, he has been able to brush off increased scrutiny. His company was investigated on allegations of tax impropriety related to imported equipment and coal, but was eventually cleared. And the rise in shares of an Adani subsidiary led to speculation that the stock was being manipulated.
Now he is facing perhaps the biggest challenge of his career.
Last year, Mr. Adani’s net worth skyrocketed to around $120 billion, making him the richest man in Asia and one of the four wealthiest people on earth, behind Bernard Arnault, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. But his personal fortune continues to shrink amid a sell-off that’s hobbling his business empire and his big growth ambitions. On paper, Mr. Adani has lost more than a quarter of his wealth, or more than $36 billion, within days.
Bernhard Warner
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