Who Is Jordan Brown? The Mystery Behind the American Held at the India-Nepal Border

An American citizen was arrested by border security forces near the Sonauli crossing on the India-Nepal border after attempting to cross into Nepal without proper documentation, ANI reported.

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) apprehended 36-year-old Jordan Brown during a routine patrol in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district on Saturday. Brown, who claims to be a California native, allegedly tried to flee when asked to produce his travel documents but was quickly chased down by SSB personnel.

"The agencies are independently verifying each claim made by him, including his identity, travel history, his previous visits to various countries, and the circumstances under which he entered India," a senior police officer told Hindustan Times.

Conflicting Travel Account Raises Suspicions

During interrogation, Brown's account of entering India has kept changing, The Times of India reported. He told officials he had travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa but lost his passport. Subsequently, he allegedly made his way to Sri Lanka by sea before entering India through maritime routes in November 2025.

According to the IANS, his Indian tourist visa expired in January 26 and admitted to overstaying and attempting to enter Nepal through an unauthorized route to evade immigration authorities. He also confessed that his earlier claim of serving in the US Navy was false.

#WATCH | Maharajganj, UP: An American citizen, identified as Jordan Brown from California, was arrested by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) near the Sonauli India-Nepal border on July 11.

(Source: Police Media Cell) pic.twitter.com/RjV1Lwxl0o

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 13, 2026

Brown further claimed he had been residing in Goa since his arrival and was travelling from Bengaluru to the Sonauli border to enter Nepal when he was intercepted. Officials recovered Rs 31,460 in cash, two mobile phones, Nepalese currency, an AI translator device, a Chinese passport, religious books, a diary, and a wristwatch from his possession, according to PTI.

Another account of Brown claims that he arrived in Goa from the US about two months ago, stayed there for roughly six weeks, then travelled to Bengaluru. From there, he claimed to have boarded a bus to Lucknow on July 8, continued to Gorakhpur, and finally hired a taxi to reach the Sonauli border, TOI reported.

Claims of Military Service, Marriage

He has also claimed to have travelled to 70 countries. He has done his graduation from the University of California. He also asserted he served six years in the US Navy and Special Forces before leaving military service approximately two years ago, according to SHO Mahendra Mishra said.

Brown has also stated that he married an Indian woman hailing from Uttarakhand three years ago. He tied the knot to the woman in October 2024 who happens to be a yoga instructor.

The US citizen had planned to meet a person named "Naz," described as a Nepalese national he befriended in Goa. His another version claims that he passport is with some acquaintance in Bengaluru but he has failed to give complete addresses for two individuals.

On the other hand, the authorities have lodged a case against Brown under the Immigration and Foreigners Act for entering India without valid documentation. He has been sent to judicial custody, and the US Embassy has been notified of his detention.

Similar Case in Recent Months

This is not a one-off incident as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested another American citizen, Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, along with six Ukrainian nationals in March. They had allegedly infiltrated India from Myanmar through the Mizoram border.

They were caught at various airports across the country and have been operating as mercenaries.