Presidential-Pardons

Trump Pardons Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao After $2 Billion Stablecoin Deal

| Importance: 9/10

President Trump pardoned Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (‘CZ’), who had served four months in prison for enabling money laundering violations and pleading guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. The pardon came after Binance’s extensive lobbying efforts, including hiring …

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Trump Pardons Ross Ulbricht, Silk Road Dark Web Drug Marketplace Founder

| Importance: 8/10

On his second day in office, President Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross William Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, who was serving a life sentence without parole for operating ’the most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the …

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Trump Issues Mass Pardons to 1,500 January 6 Defendants Including Violent Offenders

| Importance: 6/10

President Trump pardoned approximately 1,500 January 6 defendants on his first day in office, including violent offenders who assaulted police officers. Pardoned Proud Boys leaders like Enrique Tarrio returned to public activism, with Joe Biggs describing their CPAC reception as “we’re …

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Rep. Chris Collins Sentenced to 26 Months for Insider Trading From White House Lawn

| Importance: 8/10

Former U.S. Representative Chris Collins (R-NY) was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison, one year of supervised release, and a $200,000 fine by Judge Vernon S. Broderick for insider trading and making false statements to the FBI. Collins, who was the first member of Congress to endorse Donald …

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Rep. Duncan Hunter Pleads Guilty to Stealing Campaign Funds After Blaming Wife

| Importance: 8/10

U.S. Representative Duncan D. Hunter pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego to one count of conspiracy to misuse campaign funds, admitting that he and his wife knowingly and willfully stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to maintain their lifestyle. The guilty plea …

Duncan Hunter Margaret Hunter Donald Trump Congressional Corruption Campaign Finance Violations Republican Party California Political Accountability +1 more
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Paul Manafort Sentenced to Combined 7.5 Years in Federal Prison, Longest Mueller Investigation Sentence

| Importance: 8/10

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort received a combined sentence of 7.5 years (90 months) in federal prison across two separate criminal cases stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, representing the longest prison term imposed on any defendant in the Mueller …

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Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested for Attempting to Sell Obama's Senate Seat

| Importance: 9/10

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris were arrested at the governor’s home on federal corruption charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. The 76-page FBI affidavit revealed that Blagojevich was captured on …

Rod Blagojevich Barack Obama Patrick Fitzgerald Donald Trump Gubernatorial Corruption Democratic Party Illinois Bribery Wire Fraud +2 more
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Rep. Duke Cunningham Pleads Guilty to $2.4 Million Bribery Scheme

| Importance: 9/10

Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego to conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The decorated Vietnam War fighter ace admitted to accepting at least $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors in exchange for …

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Clinton Pardon Scandal Reveals Payments to President's Brother and Brother-in-Law

| Importance: 8/10

New revelations emerge that Hugh Rodham, Hillary Clinton’s brother, received $400,000 in payments for successfully lobbying President Clinton to grant a pardon to Almon Glenn Braswell, a businessman under investigation for money laundering, and a commutation for convicted drug trafficker …

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Clinton Pardons Fugitive Marc Rich Amid Corruption Allegations

| Importance: 9/10

Hours before leaving office, President Bill Clinton grants a controversial presidential pardon to Marc Rich, an international fugitive who fled to Switzerland in 1983 to avoid prosecution on 51 counts of tax fraud, racketeering, and illegal oil trading with Iran during the 1979-1980 hostage crisis. …

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Bush Pardons Six Iran-Contra Officials on Christmas Eve, Completing Cover-Up

| Importance: 10/10

President George H.W. Bush issues sweeping pardons to six Iran-Contra defendants on Christmas Eve, twelve days before former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger’s trial was scheduled to begin. The pardons cover Weinberger, former National Security Adviser Robert McFarlane, former Assistant …

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