American Contractor Ordered to Pay $440,000 by Nepal Supreme Court

William Cross, CEO of California-based Powerhive Constructions, has been detained in Nepal for more than five months. The court ruling requires him to compensate workers and the families of five men who died — two from injuries sustained on the project and three from stress-related heart attacks and illnesses linked to non-payment.

Cross was awarded the contract in 2024 to construct a biomass energy plant, his first project in Nepal. Construction delays stretched into 2026, leading to mounting debts and labor disputes. According to reports, he spent approximately $1 million before his U.S. bank accounts in California were frozen, preventing him from clearing a critical shipment from Germany and paying workers.

He has since relied on financial support from his daughters and girlfriend in California to settle some obligations. Cross has been in and out of custody and court proceedings over the past year. Following one earlier release in 2025 on his way to the airport, he was attacked by locals, sustaining a broken arm, fingers and injuries requiring stitches to his jaw.

Nepal authorities are holding his passport. Court officials have stated that once the $440,000 is paid this time, Cross will be provided safe escort to the airport and permitted to leave the country.

The case highlights the risks faced by foreign contractors operating in Nepal, where regulatory unfamiliarity, funding disruptions, and local labour tensions can quickly escalate into prolonged legal and personal crises.