Former NATA President Raghava Reddy Ghosala Pleads Guilty in U.S. Corporate Match Fraud

Dr. Raghava Reddy Ghosala, 65, former president of the North American Telugu Association (NATA), pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Ghosala led NATA from 2019 to 2022.

During that period, NATA allegedly facilitated millions of dollars in fraudulent corporate charitable matching payments from employers across the U.S.

Employees reportedly claimed corporate matching funds for donations that did not qualify because NATA allegedly refunded the contributions to donors, often through cash or intermediaries.

Ghosala admitted helping falsify NATA's 2019–2021 tax returns, including reclassifying donor reimbursements as legitimate organizational expenses.

Venkateswara Kalluri pleaded guilty to the same two conspiracy charges in June 2025.

Ghosala faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for wire-fraud conspiracy and 5 years for conspiracy to defraud the United States, with sentencing scheduled for February 22, 2027.

For Indian American professionals donating through employer programs, the case details federal enforcement against fraudulent charitable matching claims.