By Ahmed Abdelsalam
President Donald Trump's wave of pardons has wiped out more than $119 million in court-ordered restitution owed to crime victims, according to a CBS News analysis of clemency grants issued over the past year. The figure excludes nearly $120 million owed to the Crime Victims Fund and another $171 million in restitution shared with co-defendants who did not receive clemency, pushing the total denied to victims and the government above $1.1 billion over two years.
Pardons wipe out billions in penalties
The analysis does not include $661 million in restitution owed by former tech CEO Trevor Milton, who was convicted of defrauding investors, nor potential restitution from the more than 1,500 people charged in connection with the January 6 attack. Trump issued a blanket pardon for those rioters on his first day in office. Former Justice Department pardon attorney Liz Oyer previously estimated that Trump's second-term pardons have erased more than $1.56 billion in criminal penalties, a figure expected to rise.
High-profile cases highlight pattern
At least 18 clemency recipients had restitution obligations tied to the White House, CBS found. Among them, Trevor Milton, the former Nikola CEO, poured nearly $2 million into pro-Trump political committees during the 2024 campaign. His victims included individuals who lost retirement savings. Trump's pardon eliminated Milton's $661 million restitution. Nursing home executive Paul Walczak, convicted of withholding more than $10 million from employee paychecks, was pardoned in April 2025 weeks after his mother contributed $1 million to a Trump-aligned super PAC.
Administration's 'war on fraud' contrasted
The revelations come as the Trump administration touts a "war on fraud" led by Vice President JD Vance and a new task force. However, Bloomberg reports that the task force's work largely stems from preexisting investigations. The administration has also announced $25 million for whistleblower tips and offered $1 million for voter fraud allegations leading to convictions, while simultaneously pardoning convicted fraudsters.
Criticism and legal concerns
Democratic National Committee Deputy Communications Director Kendall Witmer accused Trump and Vance of "rampant corruption and pay-to-play politics." Rep. Ted Lieu warned that blanket pardons for uncharged crimes have never been fully litigated. The White House maintains that the president exercises his constitutional pardon authority at his discretion.
