An Indian national charged in a sweeping racketeering case in California and added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list was nabbed in the nick of time in Vermont.
The wanted fugitive, 26-year-old Nitish Kaushal, appeared to be close to fleeing the country and was caught within a mile or so of the U.S.-Canada border.
U.S. Border Patrol captured Kaushal, a suspected Indian gangster, on July 16 in Alburgh, Vermont, while he was reportedly trying to break into a home, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
Once Kaushal was detained, Border Patrol conducted a records check and found he was the subject of an FBI warrant issued in the Central District of California.
He also had an active Notice to Appear for the Alternatives to Detention program from 2022 and had an outstanding FBI warrant issued out of Los Angeles, California, for kidnapping, CBP shared in a news release.
The FBI added Kaushal, also known as “Lala,” to the agency’s Most Wanted List on July 15, one day before his arrest, after federal prosecutors in California charged him in a sweeping racketeering case linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group.
Nitish Kaushal, a fugitive wanted in connection with the "Operation Hardball" indictments returned in Los Angeles, was #captured in Vermont yesterday by #BorderPatrol agents who protect the northern border of the United States. Nitish Kaushal is wanted for his alleged… pic.twitter.com/zGZVrP4yTs
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) July 17, 2026
The FBI investigation, dubbed “Operation Hardball,” was a probe targeting alleged transnational organized crime networks linked to Punjab. The group originated in the Punjab state of India and operated in southern California and elsewhere, the FBI Los Angeles shared on social media.
Kaushal has a lengthy criminal history including charges of murder and criminal conspiracy, as well as a felony conviction for the sale and possession of a high-capacity magazine in Sacramento, Calif., CBP officials said.
According to CPB, border agents with the Swanton Sector division initially discovered an abandoned vehicle blocking a road in Alburgh in the early morning hours of July 16. The vehicle was registered in New York and raised concerns over suspicious cross-border activity.
A few hours later, Border Patrol agents responded to a report of a suspicious man on home security cameras and an attempted break-in in the area. When agents arrived, they encountered and detained Kaushal.
He gave agents a New Jersey driver’s license with another person’s name. He was also found with a small amount of suspected narcotics, CBP officials said.
Acting Chief Border Patrol Agent of Swanton Sector Richard J. Fortunato credited the actions of local residents and the public’s “alertness and quick reporting” for helping to capture the wanted fugitive.
“Border security is national security, and the safety of our communities depends on the vigilance and cooperation of the public,” Fortunato said. “We encourage everyone—if you see something, say something.”
According to court documents, Kaushal allegedly spent days evading federal agents, abandoned a mobile phone being tracked by investigators and attempted to conceal his identity with a false New Jersey driver’s license.
The FBI place him on its “Most Wanted” list after he ditched his phone and disappeared.
According to the FBI, Kaushal is wanted for his alleged involvement in the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group. The transnational criminal network operates across multiple countries, including the U.S., Canada, India, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Newsweek reported.
Prosecutors said the criminal network is involved in a range of illegal activities, including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering and human smuggling.
The group’s activities included operating drug transportation routes across the United States and to the U.S.-Canada border, FBI officials said.
A grand jury in Los Angeles returned an indictment on June 25 charging Kaushal and multiple co-defendants with racketeering conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly known as RICO, according to court records.
Following the unsealed indictment, Kaushal had a court-filed warrant issued for his arrest related to the racketeering conspiracy charge. The FBI’s wanted notice described Kaushal as armed and dangerous and an escape risk.
The charging document lists several defendants in the case, including Kaushal, who are accused of participating in acts of violence on behalf of the group, including kidnappings and assaults.
The indictment specifically alleges Kaushal’s involvement in the restraint, assault and transportation of a victim during an incident in California in July 2024.
Kaushal was transferred to FBI custody and then U.S. Marshals Service custody while awaiting a detention hearing, per Newsweek, pending extradition and prosecution in California.
Several other foreign nationals and alleged MS-13 members are on the FBI’s Most Wanted criminal enterprise investigations list, including:
Semion Mogilevich – Alleged Eurasian organized-crime boss wanted on racketeering, fraud, money laundering and related charges. The FBI is offering up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.
Satinderjeet Singh – Indian national wanted in connection with a transnational organized-crime investigation. He is among the newest additions to the FBI’s Criminal Enterprise Investigations (CEI) roster.
Victor Eduardo Morales Zelaya – Alleged MS-13 member wanted as part of the FBI’s efforts against transnational organized crime.
Edwin Ernesto Cedillos-Rodriguez – Alleged senior MS-13 member wanted in connection with transnational organized criminal activity.
Juan Antonio Martinez-Abrego – Alleged MS-13 leader sought by the FBI on charges tied to transnational organized crime.
Ruben Antonio Rosa-Lovo – Long-sought alleged MS-13 member wanted in connection with transnational organized criminal activity.
Sergio Luis Martinez-Varela – Alleged senior MS-13 member wanted on charges related to transnational organized crime.
Leobardo Peña Gutiérrez – Mexican national wanted on federal drug-trafficking charges and alleged to have played a significant role in an international narcotics trafficking organization.
