Who is Anurag Bajpayee? Lucknow-educated CEO arrested in US luxury brothel scandal

Anurag Bajpayee is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gradiant.

Anurag Bajpayee, the Indian-origin CEO and co-founder of Gradiant, a US-based clean water technology company, was arrested earlier in 2025 in connection with a high-end brothel ring allegedly operating near Harvard University. Court documents from the Boston area named Bajpayee among several individuals accused of paying significant hourly rates—up to $600 (over Rs 50,000)—for sexual services. The clients allegedly included top executives, doctors, lawyers, public officials and government contractors.

The brothel network was said to operate out of luxury apartments in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts. According to reports, men seeking access to these establishments were required to submit government-issued IDs, professional work badges and personal references. Prosecutors allege that the women involved were primarily of Asian descent and victims of sex trafficking.

The Wall Street Journal reported that detailed records of client visits and payments are now central to a growing criminal investigation dubbed “The Cambridge Brothel Hearings”. Bajpayee was arrested during a sting operation, and he was among over 30 prominent men facing misdemeanour charges related to the case. Despite some employees reportedly calling for his resignation, Gradiant issued a statement backing its chief executive.

“We believe in the justice system and are confident that this will resolve favourably in due course. Unrelated to this, Gradiant will continue to pursue excellence in technological innovation and to strive towards our mission to ensure clean water for all society,” the company stated.

Bajpayee’s name also appeared in reports by the New York Post and The New York Times, which outlined the broader contours of the case, including the profile of clientele and the scale of payments made for sex services.

Who is Anurag Bajpayee?

Anurag Bajpayee is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gradiant, a Boston-headquartered company that develops advanced technologies for water and wastewater treatment. Born in India, Bajpayee completed his schooling at La Martiniere College in Lucknow, graduating in 2003. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating in 2006.

Bajpayee went on to earn a Master’s degree in 2008 and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2012 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His doctoral research focused on industrial desalination and water treatment, including the development of a membrane-free desalination technique that was recognised by Scientific American as one of the “Top 10 World-Changing Ideas”. This innovation would later become a foundational technology for Gradiant.

He began his career in research, holding positions at both MIT and the University of Missouri, before launching Gradiant in 2013. Under his leadership, the company has grown from an MIT spinout into a global cleantech firm with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. Gradiant today operates across more than 25 countries and runs over 2,500 facilities serving major industries such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, mining, and food and beverage.