Indian-origin entrepreneur Vikram Beri was arrested in California after authorities alleged he attempted to start a fire at a winery and later tried to flee the scene, crashing his Tesla into two parked vehicles. The 42-year-old reportedly hurled a bottle of wine at staff members who confronted him while he was attempting to ignite the blaze.
According to a statement issued by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office on X, Beri drove his Tesla off an embankment during the incident and refused to exit the vehicle despite multiple attempts at de-escalation. Deputies eventually deployed pepperball rounds and pepper spray, forcing him to “crawl out of the car” before being taken into custody.
Who is Vikram Beri?
As per his LinkedIn profile, Beri completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and later earned an MBA in marketing and strategy from the Indian School of Business. The Daily Mail has described him as a millionaire.
Beri began his career as a consultant at Deloitte and went on to work across several organisations before entering entrepreneurship. In 2016, he founded BetterLYF, a digital mental health platform offering emotional wellness support. He is also an angel investor in multiple ventures, including Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters.
Currently based in Menlo Park, Beri serves as Executive Director of Business Development at Fieldking, a global agricultural equipment manufacturer, alongside his entrepreneurial ventures.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said Beri was arrested at Garrod Farms Estate Winery & Stables in Saratoga on the afternoon of December 8 local time. He was booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest, and later taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Authorities have not released additional details on what may have prompted the alleged attempt to start the fire. The investigation remains ongoing.
