HomeWorld NewsNithyananda’s 'fake country' Kailasa dupes 30 US cities into 'sister-city' agreement: Report

Nithyananda’s 'fake country' Kailasa dupes 30 US cities into 'sister-city' agreement: Report

The sister-city agreement between Newark and Kailasa was signed on January 12 this year and the signing ceremony took place at City Hall in Newark. Kailasa responded to the report and said, “Kailasa and its representatives have not deceived anyone nor are we fake”. 

Profile imageBy CNBCTV18.com March 18, 2023, 4:31:10 PM IST (Published)
3 Min Read
Nithyananda’s 'fake country' Kailasa dupes 30 US cities into 'sister-city' agreement: Report
Self-proclaimed godman Nithyananda's fake country ‘United States of Kailasa’ has duped over 30 American cities into signing a “cultural partnership” to become a “sister city”, a Fox News report revealed on Thursday.



Newark in the state of New Jersey admitted it was conned into becoming a ‘sister city’ with the fake nation as per the report. However, Newark wasn’t the only city to do so.

The sister-city agreement between Newark and Kailasa was signed on January 12 this year and the signing ceremony took place at City Hall in Newark.

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Newark representatives believed Kailasa was a legitimate Hindu nation off the coast of Ecuador, Fox News host Jesse Watters said while reacting to the scam.


According to the website of the “United States of Kailasa”, over 30 American cities have signed the cultural partnership including Richmond, Virginia, Dayton, Ohio, Buena Park, and Florida, among others.


In the statement, Kailasa responded to the report and said, “Kailasa and its representatives have not deceived anyone nor are we fake”.


How did the scam take place?

The scam took place when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka invited representatives of Kailasa to Newark City Hall to sign a "cultural trade agreement.”
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Newark city reportedly did not realise Kailasa was not a real nation until after an official ceremony had already taken place.

Once it was confirmed that Kailasa was not a real country, the Newark City Council rescinded the agreement. One council member called the oversight ‘unacceptable’ and said it "cannot happen any longer,” as per the report.

Kailasa is a self-proclaimed country founded by rape-accused Nithyananda, who purchased an island off the coast of Ecuador to claim it as a holy site for Hindus.

It is not recognized as a country by the United Nations or the international community.

Beyond his presence on social media, Nithayananda has been accused of several crimes in India. In 2010, he was booked for rape and sexual assault and he also faces charges of illegal confinement of at least three children who were allegedly used as ‘child labours’ to collect donations for the ashram.

Nithyananda fled India in 2019 and reportedly took refuge in Ecuador before founding his own country.

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