House panel warns Singham-linked nonprofits: Comply with subpoenas or face Congress

House Committee Threatens Depositions of Three Left‑Wing Groups Linked to Tech Tycoon Neville Singham

The House Ways and Means Committee has issued new letters demanding financial records from three nonprofit organizations that it says are part of a network funded by Shanghai‑based tech magnate Neville Roy Singham. The letters also warn that, if the organizations do not comply by Tuesday, their leaders—and Singham himself—could be hauled before the committee for sworn testimony.

The three groups are the People’s Forum Inc. in New York City, BreakThrough News (and its parent BT Media Inc.) in Manhattan, and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research in Massachusetts. All are registered as 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) charities and have received a combined $40.3 million from Singham, according to a report by Fox News Digital that traces the flow of money through shell companies and donor‑advised funds.

What the Committee Demands

Chairman Jason Smith, a Republican from Missouri, said in a statement that Singham’s “poured millions of dollars into these groups to take advantage of America’s nonprofit sector and promote Chinese Communist Party propaganda.” He added that the documents the committee seeks are “public” while what the groups are trying to keep hidden is “even more concerning.” Smith further warned that the organizations must either produce the requested documents or face deposition under oath.

The committee’s latest correspondence was sent to 21 individuals: eight at People’s Forum, seven at BreakThrough, six at Tricontinental, plus Singham, who is listed as chairman of Tricontinental’s international advisory board. The individuals named include People’s Forum executive director Manolo De Los Santos, education director Layan Fuleihan, and organizing director David Chung; BreakThrough editor‑in‑chief Ben Becker, news director Zoe Alexandra, and chief correspondent Rania Khalek; and Tricontinental executive director Vijay Prashad.

The committee has not yet publicly issued deposition subpoenas to any of the named individuals. However, the threat of questioning under oath marks a significant escalation from the earlier requests for records, which began in September 2025.

Background of the Investigation

The investigation began with the committee’s 2025 request for financial records from People’s Forum. It expanded in February 2026 to include BreakThrough and Tricontinental. After the nonprofits challenged the requests in August, arguing that the subpoenas violated First Amendment protections, the committee narrowed its demands in May before issuing formal subpoenas in July.

Fox News Digital reports that Singham sold his software company, ThoughtWorks, for an estimated $785 million in 2017 and now resides in Shanghai. Over the past year, the committee has alleged that Singham channels money through intermediaries to obscure its foreign source, potentially allowing foreign influence to bypass U.S. tax‑exemption regulations.

The amounts traced to the three nonprofits—$22.44 million to People’s Forum, $16.76 million to Tricontinental, and $1.098 million to BT Media—constitute the bulk of the $278 million in U.S. nonprofit donations that Singham’s network has allegedly routed into U.S. activist groups, media outlets, and think tanks promoting socialist, communist, and pro‑China causes.

Responses from the Nonprofits

Both BreakThrough News and People’s Forum have issued statements condemning the committee’s demands as a “witch‑hunt” and a “McCarthy‑style” attack on independent journalism and political activism. BreakThrough’s editorial staff, including Zoe Alexandra and Rania Khalek, have taken to their BT Live program to denounce the subpoenas. Alexandra warned, “Unless BT gives up its legal rights, including our First Amendment protections, he’ll subpoena each of us individually and drag us to Washington for depositions.” Khalek added that the committee’s demands were “unconstitutional” and threatened that the group would be personally targeted if it did not comply.

The nonprofits’ attorneys have formally objected to the subpoenas in August, arguing that they overstep the committee’s legislative authority and infringe on First Amendment rights. In an August 7 letter, the attorneys compared the investigation to the House Un-American Activities Committee of the 1940s, calling it “a witch‑hunt” and urging the committee to narrow or revise its demands.

BreakThrough also urged supporters to sign a petition opposing the investigation and to donate to cover its legal expenses. It maintains that its major donations come from U.S. organizations and that it receives no outside editorial direction.

Political Reactions

The investigation has attracted criticism from prominent left‑wing figures. Twitch streamer Hasan Piker called the July subpoenas “the McCarthy trials” and warned that the committee “will come for you.” CodePink co‑founder Medea Benjamin described the subpoenas as “a terrible attack on independent journalism.”

In contrast, the committee says its purpose is to examine whether existing tax laws adequately prevent foreign influence in the nonprofit sector, rather than to target the groups’ political views or journalistic activities. It also says that it is considering whether Congress should strengthen laws governing foreign donations to nonprofits.

Other Legal Proceedings

Separately, Singham is the subject of a federal grand‑jury investigation in the Southern District of New York. The investigation is looking into possible wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes related to his nonprofit funding network. No criminal charges have been announced to date.

Next Steps

The committee’s letters set a deadline of Tuesday for the nonprofits to comply. If the organizations fail to do so, the committee may move forward with deposition subpoenas and potentially bring the leaders, and Singham, before Congress for testimony under oath. The committee has indicated that it will continue to examine how foreign funding flows into U.S. tax‑exempt entities and will consider legislative changes to address any gaps it identifies.

The unfolding situation illustrates the tension between congressional oversight of foreign influence in the United States and the rights of nonprofit organizations and journalists to operate free from what they claim is a politically motivated investigation. Whether the committee’s demands will be met—or whether the nonprofits will resist—remains to be seen.