Trump’s Pardons: Billionaire Crooks Walk Free, Victims Get Nothing
Before you begin reading here's a short personal note:
For anyone who believes that writing an article like this automatically means I hate Donald Trump, you are mistaken. First, I am British and cannot vote in the United States. Second, history shows us beyond a shadow of a doubt that voting changes nothing. Third, I detest politicians of every stripe, whether British, American or European.
Now let's get back to the article...
Trump's pardons let billionaire fraudsters erase billions in stolen money while victims got nothing.
Picture this: you've worked hard, set aside money for the future, maybe even invested in a promising new company. Then the rug gets pulled out from under you. The people running it were fraudsters. They're caught, tried, and convicted. The judge orders them to pay restitution. You breathe a sigh of relief — justice, at least, is on your side.
But then, with a single stroke of the president's pen, it's all gone. The conviction is erased. The obligation to repay victims vanishes. And you're left with nothing but the losses.
That's the story behind Donald Trump's 2025 clemency spree.
What Is Clemency, Really?
Clemency is the president's constitutional power to show mercy. It usually takes two forms: a pardon, which wipes out the conviction entirely, or a commutation, which reduces the punishment but leaves the conviction in place.
Historically, presidents have used it sparingly and often with a clear moral purpose: correcting unfair sentences, showing compassion to the sick or elderly, or even trying to heal the nation after a divisive event.
Trump's Unusual Use of Clemency
Trump has taken this old tool and turned it into something else entirely. Instead of focusing on people serving unfair sentences, he has often aimed his mercy at the wealthiest white-collar criminals — men convicted of defrauding investors, looting pension funds, and cheating taxpayers out of staggering sums.
Consider Trevor Milton, who was ordered to repay more than $600 million after defrauding investors in his electric car company. Or Devon Archer, who owed over $40 million for stealing from Native American tribes and workers' pension funds.
Add in others like Carlos Watson, Jason Galanis, and Julie and Todd Chrisley, and the totals skyrocket. Taken together, Trump's pardons and commutations have erased well over a billion dollars in restitution and fines that victims might otherwise have recovered.
This is not an accident. Trump has long framed white-collar defendants as victims of government “witch hunts” or “unfair” prosecutions. In some cases, pardons went to allies who had donated large sums, hired politically connected lawyers, or even offered political favors.
How Past Presidents Used Clemency
The difference with Trump is striking. Barack Obama commuted sentences for low-level drug offenders trapped under harsh sentencing laws. Jimmy Carter pardoned Vietnam draft evaders in a gesture of national healing. Even George H.W. Bush's controversial Iran-Contra pardons were justified as protecting public servants who believed they were acting in the national interest.
Trump's clemencies, by contrast, read like a roster of billionaires, financiers, and corporate executives. It's less about mercy for the powerless, and more about loyalty, money, and political leverage.
What About the Victims?
And what of the people whose lives were upended by these crimes? Under federal law, restitution orders are wiped away by a pardon. Victims technically could still sue in civil court, but that path is long, expensive, and often futile.
Fraudsters of this caliber know how to protect their wealth through shell companies, trusts, or bankruptcy filings. Without the government pushing for repayment, the odds of victims recovering their money are vanishingly small.
That means the retirees who lost savings, the Native communities cheated out of millions, or the investors lured by false promises will almost certainly never see a cent. They placed their faith in the justice system, only to find that justice can vanish overnight.
The Bigger Picture
What does all this say about justice in America? On one level, it shows the raw power of the presidency. Trump has repeatedly described pardons as an “absolute right.” But at a deeper level, it highlights a two-tiered system.
Ordinary people who commit even small crimes face the full weight of the law. But billionaires who steal hundreds of millions can buy influence, curry favor, and walk away debt-free.
The Bottom Line
Clemency was designed as an act of mercy. In Trump's hands, it has often looked like a political favor — a gift for allies, donors, and insiders. The result is devastating for victims, who will never be repaid, and sobering for anyone who believes in equal justice.
The lesson is clear: in today's America, justice isn't always about fairness. Sometimes it depends less on what you did, and more on who you know.
About the Author
Scott Oliver, 66, is living well with prostate cancer after dedicating more than 4,000 hours to researching the condition. His first goal is to help men reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer through proven lifestyle strategies.
When diagnosed, his mission is to help men avoid unnecessary prostate surgeries that can lead to devastating complications such as incontinence, bleeding, permanent impotence, and a loss of length.
Scott Oliver is not a doctor and does not offer medical advice; however, he is healthier and fitter than he has been in decades. Through his articles and videos, he shares hard-to-find, uncensored information on proven alternative therapies, effective fitness methods, and repurposed drugs, content that most doctors won’t mention and search engines suppress.
He is an accredited member of the National Writers Union (NWU) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world’s largest organization of professional journalists. Scott is also the author of What If Cancer’s Best Defense Is Free? Sleep as a Defense Against Cancer: A Former Royal Marines Commando’s 4,000-Hour Research Roadmap, where he reveals how sleep repairs DNA, restores immunity, and strengthens the body’s natural defenses against cancer.
You can always contact Scott Oliver here with your questions and suggestions.
Expert Resources Used By Scott Oliver To Research and Write This Article:
- Clemency Grants by President Donald J. Trump (2025–Present) — Official Department of Justice record of clemency grants issued under Trump's presidency. https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-present
- Frequently Asked Questions About Presidential Clemency — DOJ resource explaining the basics of pardons, commutations, and the clemency process. https://www.justice.gov/pardon/frequently-asked-questions
- Presidential Pardons: Legal Issues for Congress — Congressional Research Service report on the scope and limitations of presidential pardon powers. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46179
- Scope of the Pardon Power — Cornell Law School commentary on Article II of the U.S. Constitution and presidential pardon authority. https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-2/section-2/clause-1/scope-of-pardon-power
- Office of Legal Counsel Memo on Presidential Pardons — Analysis from LSU Law on constitutional interpretations of the pardon power. https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/olc/pardon3.19.htm
- Trevor Milton Sentenced for Securities Fraud — DOJ press release on the Nikola founder's conviction and sentencing. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/trevor-milton-sentenced-four-years-prison-securities-fraud-scheme
- Devon Archer Sentenced for Securities Fraud — DOJ announcement on Archer's role in fraudulent bond issuance and sale. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/devon-archer-sentenced-year-and-day-prison-fraudulent-issuance-and-sale-more-60-million
- Jason Galanis Sentenced for Fraud Schemes — DOJ press release on Galanis' multiple securities fraud convictions. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/jason-galanis-sentenced-manhattan-federal-court-multiple-securities-fraud-schemes
- SEC Enforcement Actions — Official SEC portal listing enforcement cases and litigation releases. https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation
- How Investors Can Recover Money — SEC investor alert on recovering funds from fraud and scams. https://www.sec.gov/oiea/investor-alerts-bulletins/ib_recovermoney.html
- Presidential Pardons: Settled Law, Unsettled Issues, and a Downside for Trump — Brookings Institution analysis of presidential pardon power and its implications for Trump. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/presidential-pardons-settled-law-unsettled-issues-and-a-downside-for-trump/
- Office of the Pardon Attorney — DOJ's official hub for clemency applications and information. https://www.justice.gov/pardon