Donald Trump granted clemency to 237 people during his administration. Some of the pardons—particularly those related to drug offenses—fit within the norms of the office. But a much larger portion were favors done for wealthy people who could access Trump through top-dollar lawyers, golf clubs, rich South Floridian social circles, and family. (There is a whole category of people who were pardoned and were well-connected to Jared Kushner—including the former CEO of the country’s largest kosher meat processing plant, who was found to have employed about 400 undocumented workers.)
We revisited these pardons four years later to see what they could tell us about Trump’s 2024 campaign. The biggest takeaway had to do with the shadowy political operatives—including Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, and Roger Stone—who have spent the past four years pushing dangerous and wild election conspiracy theories in hopes they will be rewarded once more. (Read more about that here.)
But we couldn’t resist resurfacing a handful of other stories of Trump pardon recipients, some of whom may not be poised to reassert political power but who definitely have fascinating backstories, and who help illustrate Trump’s personal patronage philosophy. The guiding principle? Trump pardoned those who could benefit Trump.
The Democratic Donor Dad
Charles Kushner
Who he is: Real estate mogul
The father of Trump adviser Jared Kushner (and father-in-law of the model Karlie Kloss, through his billionaire son Joshua), Charles Kushner is a multimillionaire real estate executive with an empire in New York and New Jersey. He was, before his downfall, one of the top Democratic donors in the country.
Trumpworld connection: Family through marriage
What he was pardoned for: Tax evasion, witness tampering, and illegal campaign donations
In 2004, Kushner was accused of filing false tax returns and of contributing to Democratic political campaigns in the names of (unconsenting) business partners. But that wasn’t his most salacious crime: After he came to suspect that his sister and his brother-in-law were cooperating in a federal grand jury investigation into his schemes, he hired a sex worker to seduce his brother-in-law in a motel room rigged with cameras. Kushner sent the resulting video tape to his sister.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Real estate and political fundraising
In 2006, after serving 14 months in prison in Alabama, he returned to his firm. His eldest son’s father-in-law became president of the United States. More recently, he gave $1 million to a Trump-associated PAC, and he was a co-host for a May 14 Manhattan fundraiser for Trump. He also got involved in some South Florida real estate shenanigans.
The Fox News Ex
Al Pirro Jr.
Who he is: Ex-husband of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro
Al Pirro is a New York businessman, real estate lawyer, and prominent Republican lobbyist.
Trumpworld connection: Business and socializing
Pirro and Trump have known each other for decades, both in and out of politics. In the 1990s, Pirro represented Trump in the purchase of an island near New Rochelle, New York. Throughout the ’90s, Al and Jeanine Pirro also hosted Trump and prominent Republicans at extravagant social events.
What he was pardoned for: Tax evasion, fraud
In 2000, Al Pirro received a 29-month federal prison sentence after admitting that he deducted $1.2 million in luxuries as business write-offs. Al and Jeanine remained together until 2007, but Jeanine played a crucial role in lobbying Trump to grant her ex-husband a pardon.
The Tech Engineer Who Founded a Religious Movement Based on A.I.
Anthony Levandowski
Who he is: Self-driving-car engineer and tech celebrity
Levandowski was heavily involved in the development of Google’s self-driving enterprise, which would eventually become Waymo. After leaving Google, he founded the self-driving truck company Otto, which was later purchased by Uber.
Trumpworld connection: Silicon Valley MAGA connections
According to a White House statement released at the time of Trump’s final pardoning spree, multiple Trump supporters and Silicon Valley investors backed clemency for Levandowksi’s.
What he was pardoned for: Theft of trade secrets
After Uber bought Otto, Google accused it of developing its self-driving division through theft of Waymo’s intellectual property. Levandowski had, it turned out, downloaded a cache of documents before leaving. In August 2019, Levandowski was sentenced to 18 months in prison for what the judge called “the biggest trade secret crime I have ever seen.”
What he has been up to post-pardon: Attempting to revive an A.I. “church”
After his pardon, Levandowski returned to the self-driving tech world. He also created a church of artificial intelligence, which attempts to “create a god with Christian morals through AI.” Levandowksi dissolved the church, called the Way of the Future, in 2021, but rebooted it in 2023 in his quest to create a religious movement founded on principles of A.I. worship. According to Bloomberg, Levandowski believes that A.I. “can bring heaven on Earth” through the worship of “a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence.”
The Operative Who Fell for a Russian Agent
Paul Erickson
Who he is: Republican consultant and political operative
Though he managed GOP political campaigns from Pat Buchanan in 1992 to Mitt Romney in 2012, Erickson is best known for his romantic relationship with Russian agent Maria Butina, who used Erickson’s connections to try to infiltrate the National Rifle Association.
What he was pardoned for: Wire fraud, money laundering
In charges unrelated to Butina’s work, Erickson was sentenced to seven years in prison for schemes in which he bilked investors in fraudulent real estate developments and at eldercare homes. Erickson was granted a pardon after just six months in prison.
Trumpworld connection: The Russia investigation
In his statement pardoning Erickson, Trump said that he was helping to “right the wrongs of what has been revealed to be perhaps the greatest witch hunt in American history.”
The Rattlesnake Smuggler
Robert Douglas Bowker
Who he is: Wildlife trafficker and Florida Man
Trumpworld connection: Florida
What he was pardoned for: Wildlife smuggling
Bowker worked in the Miami Serpentarium, which according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel was the world’s first snake venom production laboratory. (The Serpentarium closed in 1984 after a child fell into the alligator pit.) In 1993, Bowker arranged a deal with a man named Rudy “Cobra King” Komarek to exchange 22 alligators for 22 timber rattlesnakes; the director of the Serpentarium had wanted the snakes’ venom for his private medical research. Bowker ultimately served two years on probation for wildlife trafficking.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Animal conservation
The Ron Paul Campaign Manager
John Tate
Who he is: GOP campaign manager
Tate directed two presidential campaigns for the Libertarian Ron Paul, and helped fund Paul’s son Rand’s campaign in 2016.
Trumpworld connection: The Paul family
What he was pardoned for: Bribery
Ahead of the 2012 Republican primary caucus in Iowa, leaked emails from campaign aides revealed that Tate and two fellow operatives had bought, with a $75,000 payment, an endorsement for Paul from Sen. Kent Sorenson. In 2015, Tate received a sentence of two years’ probation and six months of home confinement. He received a full presidential pardon from Trump in late December of 2020.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Working for Trump
Tate has his own political consulting company and has worked for the Trump 2024 campaign.
The Anti-Abortion Women’s Rights Activist
Susan B. Anthony
Who she was: Pioneering women’s rights activist who died in 1906
What she was pardoned for (posthumously): Illegally voting
In 1872, Anthony and nearly 50 other women in Rochester, New York, attempted to cast a vote in the presidential election as part of a challenge to anti-suffrage laws. The resulting court case was a major milestone for the women’s rights movement. Anthony was not allowed to testify on her own behalf, and the presiding judge directed the jury to give a guilty verdict, resulting in a $100 fine, which Anthony never paid.
Trumpworld connection: Opposition to abortion
In August 2020, on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment’s ratification, Donald Trump issued Anthony’s posthumous pardon during a White House ceremony attended by senior members of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List. The National Susan B. Anthony Museum, a historical association in Rochester, expressed dismay at the pardon, arguing it validated the criminal proceeding against her.
The Millennial Conservative War Criminal
Clint Lorance
Who he is: Former U.S. Army officer and convicted war criminal
Trumpworld connection: Conservative media
What he was pardoned for: Unpremeditated murder
During his deployment to Afghanistan, in 2012, Lorance directed a soldier to open fire on three unarmed Afghans, killing two. Lorance later argued that the shooting had been justified—that he thought they were Taliban suicide bombers. His fellow soldiers vehemently disagreed, and Lorance was eventually sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court-martial. The conviction turned Lorance into something of a Fox News celebrity; Sean Hannity reportedly led the effort to pardon him.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Writing books and becoming a lawyer
Lorance has appeared at Trump events and fundraisers. He published a memoir, graduated from law school, and tried to establish himself as a conservative thought leader with a self-published book titled the Conservative Millennial Playbook.
The Hip-Hop Superstar
Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.)
Who he is: Rapper
Lil Wayne is one of the most successful and widely known hip-hop artists of all time.
Trumpworld connection: Celebrity endorsement and Trump ally connections
Lil Wayne met with and endorsed Trump during his reelection campaign in 2020.
What he was pardoned for: Possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
In December of 2019, police found a gold-plated pistol when they entered and searched Wayne’s private plane in Miami, Florida. Wayne was barred from owning a gun because of an old firearms conviction. He faced up to 10 years in prison but was pardoned before his sentencing.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Making music
On Jan. 19, 2021, the last day of Trump’s presidency, Wayne tweeted, “I want to thank President Trump for recognizing that I have so much more to give to my family, my art, and my community. Love!”
The Billionaire Art Dealer
Helly Nahmad
Who he is: New York art collector
Nahmad is the son of a billionaire art dealer; his family has one of the world’s largest collections of impressionist and modernist art.
Trumpworld connection: Trump Tower real estate
Nahmad owns the entire 51st floor of Trump Tower.
What he was pardoned for: Illegal gambling
In the early 2010s, Nahmad was a leading organizer of a $100 million gambling and money-laundering network, operating sports wagers and other bets with huge buy-ins from celebrities and the ultrarich—and working with members of the Russian mob. He also operated the scheme out of Trump Tower. He served five months in prison. The White House statement announcing his pardon praised Nahmad for having “been dedicated to the well-being of his community” since his conviction.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Being wealthy
Nahmad continues to buy and sell art, with some pieces pulling in over $50 million.
The Boxer with Sylvester Stallone in His Corner
Jack Johnson
Who he was: Famed early-20th-century boxer who died in 1946
What he was pardoned for (posthumously): Driving a white woman across state lines
In 1912, Johnson was arrested for crossing state lines with a white sex worker in his car and accused of violating the 1910 Mann Act, a racist law that was born from growing fears of “white slavery” across the nation. Johnson was sentenced to a year and a day in prison by an all-white jury in 1913. His 2018 pardon allegedly came at the urging of Sylvester Stallone.
The Nonprofit Founder With a Christian Redemption Story
Jon Ponder
Who he is: Prisoner reintegration advocate
Ponder is the founder of Hope for Prisoners, a nonprofit that provides counseling and job training for recently incarcerated people.
What he was pardoned for: Bank robbery
From a young age, Ponder was involved with gang-related crimes, cycling in and out of prison. He pleaded guilty to charges of bank robbery in 2005, was released in 2009, and started his nonprofit in 2010.
Trumpworld connection: Christian redemption story
Ponder and Trump first met at the White House Rose Garden in 2018, during a National Day of Prayer celebration. Through his presidency, Trump repeatedly spoke of Ponder’s discovery of religion. He granted Ponder a full pardon in August 2020 during a televised segment of the Republican National Convention; Ponder was a featured speaker just hours later.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Avoiding lawsuits
In 2020, Hope for Prisoners’ board hired an investigator to look into allegations of misconduct by Ponder. According to the Nevada Current, a former board member alleged that after the investigation, the board had decided to fire Ponder as CEO but reversed course after the pardon. His connection to Trump, the former board member explained, was too valuable to lose.
The Athlete Mayor With an Offshore Gambling Scheme
Casey Urlacher
Who he is: Former arena football player
Casey Urlacher is a former Chicago Rush arena football player and brother of NFL linebacker Brian Urlacher. After Casey’s football career sputtered, he turned to politics and was elected mayor of Mettawa, Illinois, in 2013. He ran for the Illinois State Senate as a Republican in 2016 but lost.
What he was pardoned for: Illegal gambling, money laundering
While still serving as Mettawa’s mayor, Urlacher was sucked into an offshore gambling scheme after racking up debts. Urlacher worked as an agent, recruiting people to place bets on a Costa Rica–based gambling site in exchange for receiving a cut of the bettors’ losses. In 2020, Urlacher was charged with illegal gambling. Urlacher pleaded not guilty and received a grant of clemency before the start of his trial.
Trumpworld connection: Political donations
Four days after Casey received his criminal charges, Brian Urlacher, an outspoken Trump supporter, made his first donation to the Trump campaign. Just weeks later, in March 2020, Brian met with Trump in a closed-door meeting at the White House.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Being mayor
Urlacher returned to politics. He sought reelection as mayor of Mettawa in 2021 through a write-in campaign, winning with 151 votes to his opponent’s 105.
The Congressman Who Used Campaign Funds on His Rabbit
Duncan Hunter
Who he is: Former Republican congressman
Hunter, a right-wing Trump ally who ran anti-Muslim ads and admitted to posing with the corpse of an enemy combatant, served for seven years in California’s 50th Congressional District, until he resigned in 2020.
Trumpworld connection: Megasupporter
Hunter was one of the first congressional Republicans to endorse Trump.
What he was pardoned for: Wire fraud, falsifying records, campaign finance violations
In 2018, Hunter and his wife, Margaret, were charged with using campaign funds to pay for family vacations to Europe and Hawaii, video games, and jewelry. (One $600 payment went toward the family rabbit’s air travel.) Prosecutors also accused him of using campaign funds on affairs with five women, including one of his own staffers.
Hunter was sentenced to 11 months but was pardoned before he reported to prison. (Trump also pardoned Margaret.) According to a White House statement, several Republican House members had supported Hunter’s pardon.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Facing minor consequences
Although Trump’s pardon exonerated the couple from criminal offenses, Hunter still had to pay a $12,000 fine to the Federal Election Commission. In 2023, Margaret filed for divorce.
The K-9 Officer Who Had Her Dog Attack People of Color
Stephanie Mohr
Who she is: Former police officer in the K-9 unit of Prince George’s County, Maryland
What she was pardoned for: Deprivation of rights under color of law
In 1995, Mohr responded to a call of a potential burglary at a printing shop, where two men were seen on top of the building. According to the prosecution, the two men, homeless immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador who were sleeping on the roof, complied with police requests to climb down and put their hands up. But Mohr sicced her German shepherd on the men, and the dog mangled one man’s leg. (Prosecutors also said another officer had suggested Mohr allow the police dog to “get a bite.”) Mohr, it turned out, had a record of allegedly using her police dog to attack people of color. She was convicted of a civil rights violation and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Trumpworld connection: Law enforcement and conservative media
In December 2020, Mohr appeared on Newsmax and pleaded directly to Trump for her own pardon, insisting on her innocence.
The Varsity Blues Scandal Parent
Robert Zangrillo
Who he is: Investor
What he was pardoned for: Defrauding the University of Southern California of an admissions spot
In 2019, 50 people were charged in a scheme in which rich parents bribed college admissions workers to get their children into more elite universities. The scandal, known as Varsity Blues, shocked and delighted the public: rich people were actually facing consequences for sidestepping the rules. Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were both caught up in it. Zangrillo, one of the 33 parents charged in the scheme, had paid athletic officials at the University of Southern California to falsely label his daughter as a recruit for the crew team; he had also paid for a consultant to take online classes on his daughter’s behalf. His lawyers argued that the payment he made to the university was not a bribe but a donation.
Trumpworld connection: Unclear
The White House did say, in the pardon statement, that Trump megadonor Geoff Palmer and Trump friend Tom Barrack advocated for the pardon. Barrack has denied this. The statement also noted that unlike other parents, Zangrillo had not paid for someone to take the SAT or ACT for his daughter.
What he has been up to post-pardon: Zangrillo was pardoned before he went to trial and continues to work at his Miami investing firm.
