Who is Goldy Brar? The gangster added to FBI Most Wanted list

Satinderjeet Singh, known by the alias Goldy Brar, has been added to the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, with a reward of USD one million for information leading to his arrest. A notorious gangster based in the U.S., he is alleged to lead Lawrence Bishnoi’s organised crime group in North America.

Goldy Brar-Bishnoi gang ties

Goldy Brar is reportedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which is involved in various criminal activities, including targeted assassinations of political and religious figures, kidnappings, extortion and drug trafficking. The gang is allegedly engaged in violent acts across Southern California and throughout the United States and Canada. Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old from Punjab, India, is a gangster currently imprisoned in India. He was once a self-styled university student leader before tiring of politics and supposedly shifted himself and his followers toward a life of crime.

“Goldy Brar and his network have wreaked devastating havoc on countless lives — through high-profile murders, shootings, death threats, extortion, arson, and drug trafficking,” said Lisa Moreland, the deputy commissioner of federal policing for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

The FBI also warns that he should be considered dangerous, armed and an escape risk.

From Punjab student politics to high-profile hits

On July 1, 2026, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Mr. Brar in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He faces multiple serious charges, including conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, conspiracy to obstruct commerce through extortion, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He was identified as one of the key fugitives in a lengthy investigation dubbed Operation Hardball, which revealed the extent of transnational organised crime groups originating from India.

The 29-year-old, who reached Canada on a student visa in 2017, allegedly claimed responsibility for the murder of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29, 2022.

Before landing on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, Mr. Brar was formally named by the Canadian government as an exceptional addition to Canada’s Top 25 Most Wanted Criminals via the BOLO (Be On the Lookout) Program in 2023.

In 2024, Mr. Brar was designated as a terrorist by the Indian government under the anti-terror law for his involvement in smuggling high-grade arms, ammunition and explosives through drones from across the border to carry out killings in India. A Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification said that Mr. Brar, a resident of Sri Muktsar Sahib City in Punjab and presently residing in Brampton, Canada, is associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a listed terrorist organisation.

FBI Most Wanted

The FBI on Monday (September 28, 2026) added Mr. Brar to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, along with a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his capture. He is the 543rd addition to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Since the inception of the list in 1950, a total of 28 defendants who have committed crimes or are allegedly involved in crimes in the Los Angeles area have been featured on the list. At least 36 defendants who committed crimes in other parts of the country have been arrested in Los Angeles.

The FBI described him as a dangerous individual and emphasised the urgency of apprehending him due to his extensive criminal record and the severity of the charges against him.

He was charged in federal court in Los Angeles with multiple violations to include:

• racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations conspiracy

• conspiracy to interfere and attempted interference with commerce by extortion

• conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

“The inclusion of this defendant on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list underscores this administration’s determination to bring the full force of the law upon transnational criminal gangs,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “Working together with law enforcement in Canada, Europe, and Asia, we will continue to hunt down thugs such as ‘Goldy Brar’ and ensure they never see the outside of a prison again,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)