Nonprofits linked to tycoon Neville Roy Singham have refused to hand over financial records to a US House committee investigating potential foreign influence and ties to the Chinese Communist Party, sparking a major political confrontation.
Singham Linked Nonprofits Resist US Congressional Probe
Controversial business tycoon Neville Roy Singham linked non-profits have rejected a US Congress ultimatum to turn over financial records. The People’s Forum Inc., a New York City-based activist hub, and BreakThrough News, a far-left nonprofit media outlet, fired back in letters to the House Ways and Means Committee, which threatened to depose their leaders — and Singham personally.
“Threatening compulsory depositions of journalists and newsroom staff to compel document production operates as coercive retaliation by explicitly targeting the core editorial leadership and journalistic staff of BreakThrough News. Allowing a congressional committee to haul journalists into deposition rooms to grill them on domestic and foreign policy reporting sets a dangerous precedent of state-sponsored press intimidation that chills independent journalism nationwide and infringes on core First Amendment protections,” BreakThrough News said in a statement on its website.
Congressional Investigation Into Foreign Influence
According to Fox News, Singham is among 21 individuals identified by the House Ways and Means Committee for potential questioning under oath as lawmakers investigate alleged foreign influence involving his nonprofit funding network. The Republican-led committee, headed by Chairman Jason Smith is investigating whether millions of dollars flowing through Singham’s network of tax-exempt nonprofits are being used to advance Chinese Communist Party interests in the United States.
Global Reach and Political Allegations
Recently a FoX News investigation also linked BreakThrough News with fuelling France’s student protest movement and using demonstrations over school conditions to advance broader political and ideological agendas. According to Fox News Digital, the network extends beyond France to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Brazil and India, with organisations mobilising supporters, calling strikes and amplifying the demonstrations through international media outlets.
Allegations Within India
Within India as well, the BJP questioned if Singham’s organisations were linked to Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and his frontal call for protests against the Election Commission. Questioning Rahul Gandhi’s overseas engagements, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday alleged that the Congress leader had met individuals who, according to him, were working against India’s interests.
“I said in Parliament that under the guise of the Soros Foundation, he meets Ilhan Omar and Ro Khanna,” Dubey said, referring to the US lawmakers. “My question to Congress is: Regarding Neville Roy Singham, the cartels involved in online gambling, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency—with which individuals from these circles has Rahul Gandhi met over the past five years? Which of these individuals have participated in his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ or other such journeys? Moreover, whenever he travels abroad, with which of these elements does he meet, and what kind of plans do they devise to destabilise the country?” he added.
With the France protest links and the US Congress investigation, Sigham’s organisations are now facing the heat.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)