Stories
Trump's Pardon Of Venezuelan Billionaire Under Scrutiny Over 50 Million Dollar Deal And Donations
- •Donald Trump granted a full presidential pardon to Venezuelan billionaire banker Julio Herrera Velutini, who had faced federal corruption charges related to a bribery scheme involving a former Puerto Rico governor.
- •Prior to the pardon, Herrera Velutini's 27-year-old daughter Isabela made 3.5 million dollars in donations to a pro-Trump super PAC and pledged 2.5 million dollars towards a proposed White House ballroom.
- •The Herrera family hired Alina Habba, Trump's former personal lawyer and a former senior Justice Department official, with a four-year contract guaranteeing compensation exceeding 50 million dollars.
- •Trump issued the full presidential pardon just two weeks after Habba officially began working for the family's newly established company, Concord Partners.
- •The Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint questioning whether the multimillion-dollar political donations were unlawfully financed by the foreign national banker through his American daughter.
Key Questions Answered
Julio Herrera Velutini faced federal charges including conspiracy, federal programme bribery, and honest services wire fraud related to a corruption scheme involving former Puerto Rico governor Wanda Vázquez Garced. In 2025, he pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanour campaign finance offence.
Isabela Herrera donated $3.5 million to the MAGA Inc. super PAC between December 2024 and July 2025. She also pledged $2.5 million toward Trump's proposed White House ballroom in September 2025, making an initial payment of $835,000 in October.
Alina Habba was hired under a contract exceeding $50 million to serve as general counsel for Concord Partners, a company established by the banker's daughter. Although she and the White House denied she was involved in securing the clemency, President Trump granted Herrera Velutini a full presidential pardon on January 15, 2026, weeks after she began her role.
