Earlier this week, President Donald Trump upheld the Thanksgiving tradition by granting clemency to Waddle and Gobble, two turkeys, before heading to Mar-a-Lago. But his second-term pardons have also included a far more controversial and high-profile roster of individuals, Business Insider reports.
According to the Pew Research Center, Trump has granted clemency – including pardons and commutations – to more than 1,600 people this term, compared to 238 acts of clemency during his first term. Among them, roughly 1,500 were January 6 defendants, alongside well-known figures from business, sports, and finance.
Here’s a rundown of the notable businesspeople and billionaires who have received clemency from Trump so far:
Ross Ulbricht – Silk Road Founder
On his first full day in office, Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous Silk Road online marketplace. Ulbricht had been serving a life sentence without parole for drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking. Trump announced the pardon via Truth Social, citing support from the Libertarian movement.
Devon Archer and Jason Galanis – Investors
Both former business partners of Hunter Biden, Archer and Galanis were pardoned in March. They had been convicted in 2018 for defrauding a Native American tribal entity. Archer maintained his innocence, while Galanis pleaded guilty. The pair later testified in the Republican-led 2023 congressional investigation into Hunter Biden.
BitMEX Founders – Benjamin Delo, Arthur Hayes, Samuel Reed
Trump pardoned the three crypto exchange founders in March after they had pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering regulations. The move aligned with Trump’s broader push to deregulate the cryptocurrency industry.
Trevor Milton – Nikola Founder
Trevor Milton, founder of electric truck company Nikola, was pardoned in March following a four-year prison sentence for securities and wire fraud. Trump suggested the pardon was influenced by Milton’s early support for his presidential campaign, noting the executive’s significant political donations.
Carlos Watson – Ozy Media Cofounder
Less than a year after his conviction for fraud, Watson had his sentence commuted. He had been found guilty of defrauding investors of tens of millions of dollars by misrepresenting Ozy Media’s financial health.
Paul Walczak – Nursing Home CEO
Walczak, who pleaded guilty to tax crimes, was pardoned in April. His mother, a major Republican donor, had raised funds for Trump and attended high-profile Mar-a-Lago events, according to The New York Times.
Todd and Julie Chrisley – Real Estate Investors and Reality Stars
The Chrisleys, convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion in 2022, were pardoned in May. Their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, campaigned for Trump to grant the pardon during the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Lawrence Duran – Healthcare Executive
Duran, a former co-owner of American Therapeutic Corp., had his sentence commuted in May. He had been convicted of Medicare fraud and money laundering.
Marian Morgan – Investor
Trump commuted Morgan’s nearly 34-year prison sentence in May. She and her husband had run a Sarasota-based Ponzi scheme that misappropriated millions of dollars from investors.
Imaad Zuberi – Venture Capitalist
Zuberi, convicted in 2019 of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and falsifying lobbying records, had his 12-year sentence commuted in May. Notably, he switched political allegiances to support Trump after previously donating to Democrats.
Changpeng Zhao – Binance Cofounder
In October, Trump pardoned the crypto billionaire after Zhao pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering regulations. Questions have since emerged about connections between Binance, the Trump family, and Trump-backed crypto ventures.
Joseph Schwartz – Nursing Home Entrepreneur
Schwartz, who pleaded guilty to tax fraud, was pardoned in November. The Washington Post reports that he spent nearly $1 million on lobbyists seeking clemency, though a White House official stated such spending was “foolishly wasting funds.”
These pardons highlight Trump’s focus on high-profile business figures and political allies, drawing scrutiny from critics and raising questions about motivations behind the clemency decisions.