Manoj Bhargava

Manoj Bhargava (born 1953) is an Indian American billionaire businessman. He is the founder of Innovations Ventures, which produces the 5-hour Energy drink, a product he created and launched in 2004. Bhargava has created a number of other ventures as well, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has investigated 5-Hour Energy over numerous potentially linked fatalities. Its owner Living Essentials has been sued by dozens of state attorneys general for deceptive advertising, resulting in a $4.3 million penalty in a Washington state case.

Bhargava joined the Giving Pledge He has founded a number of charity organizations, including the Rural India Supporting Trust

Early life and education Bhargava was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1953. He spent his early years living with his family in Lucknow's Khayali Ganj neighborhood. His father, publisher Narottam Bhargava, had a book store on the ground floor of their house. The family of five moved to a larger house when he was six years old, also in Lucknow, with Bhargava attending Lucknow's Mahanagar Boy's High School. When he was 10, he began attending Woodstock School in Mussoorie.

In 1974, Bhargava returned to India and spent more than a decade at an ashram named Hanslok, which was associated with Guru Shri Hans Ji Maharaj. He later acquired and managed several plastics companies, ultimately selling the business in 2006 to a private equity firm. Bhargava confirmed in 2011 that he was building a technology park in Farmington Hills. Oakland Energy and Water Ventures LLC focuses on water treatment and energy conservation projects. By 2015, he had reportedly formed 70 limited liability companies in Michigan overall.

Political donations (2009-2015) By 2015, Bhargava and his companies had become major political donors in the US, contributing at least $5.3 million to state-level political campaigns from 2009 to 2015. This included state attorneys general, their associations, and groups such as the Republican Governors Association, with 5-hour Energy involved in legal matters relating to marketing and product safety. After receiving filings citing 5-hour Energy in relation to consumer deaths and serious health incidents, by 2015 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was investigating more than 20 fatalities potentially linked to the product. By that time, attorneys general in several states had also initiated legal action against 5-Hour Energy, alleging deceptive advertising. 33 states had jointly investigated the company. The company also faced consolidated class-action lawsuits from consumers alleging false advertising. In 2017, a Washington state court ruled that 5-hour Energy's advertising had violated consumer protection laws, ordering a fine of $4.3 million. Living Essentials denied wrongdoing but paid the penalties.

In 2019, he founded Hans Power and Water LLC, with Tom LaSorda as CEO. The company's first product, the Hans Premium Water Appliance, is a whole-home water purifying system. In April 2019, Hans Power and Water received town approval to build a manufacturing plant in Lyon Township. It opened a storefront in May 2019. In August 2023, Bhargava's Bridge Media Networks acquired a majority stake in The Arena Group, owner of several magazine brands, for $100 million. In March 2024, Minute Media took over the licensing agreement with Sports Illustrated from Arena Group, ending Bhargava's association with the magazine after six months. By May 2024, Bridge Media Network consisted mainly of NewsNet, as well as the SportsNews and Highlights channels. In August 2024, NewsNet and its sister network SportsNews ceased operations.

Recent developments (2023–2026) In 2023, Bhargava launched several hydration drink brands – True Hydration, Cellular Hydration, and Natural Glow Hydration. Also in 2023, he gained control of ShopHQ and acquired a minor stakes in Audacy, which owned 235 radio stations and a podcast network. He also acquired a minor stake in Cumulus Media, owner of WJR-AM radio in Detroit.

In 2024, Bhargava had invested in the development of Cerezen ECP, a therapy which uses external counter pulsation to increase blood flow. While the FDA had approved the treatment for cardiovascular health, Bhargava was seeking to arrange a trial to test its efficacy at mitigating Alzheimer's disease. with the electrical bike, for example, expensive and inefficient. The bike and ocean water conversion projects had been dropped by 2024, with the lab focusing instead on products such as its Hans Premium water filtration system, Vitamin Energy filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Bhargava and Living Essentials in late 2024, alleging monopolistic practices and false advertising regarding the benefits of 5-Hour Energy. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2025. In April 2025, Bhargava's Singapore-based company Renew Group Private sold its shares in Cumulus Media. Renew Group remained the largest stakeholder in Audacy. His company Hans Scientific, by late 2025, had constructed one drug manufacturing plant in the United States, and was in the process of building six others.

Philanthropy Bhargava joined the Giving Pledge in 2012, By 2014, the Hans Foundation had contributed to 151 non-profits. Bhargava's Billions in Change initiative, It was made by Film 45, a production company launched by Peter Berg. Investigating the transaction, in 2018 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) disqualified several hundred million dollars in tax deductions. focusing on offshore holdings and possibly improperly claimed charitable deductions. Senator Ron Wyden, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, suggested the case could result in one of the largest tax penalties in U.S. history. With Bhargava denying his donations failed to comply with all tax guidelines, the investigation was ongoing as of 2025.