President Donald Trump has granted clemency to two individuals convicted of fraud, Carlos Watson, former co-founder of Ozy Media, and Trevor Milton, founder of electric vehicle company Nikola. Both men had been sentenced to prison, but Trump’s decision has now removed their penalties.
Watson, who faced nearly 10 years in prison for deceiving investors, had his sentence commuted just before he was due to begin serving time, CNBC reported. After the announcement, Watson expressed gratitude, stating on X, “I am profoundly grateful to President Trump for correcting this grave injustice. His decision reflects his unwavering commitment to fairness and justice for those who have been wrongfully targeted.”
Watson had been convicted for inflating Ozy Media’s earnings and misleading investors about business deals from 2018 to 2021. He was found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, and sentenced in December to 116 months in prison. Watson has denied the charges, claiming the prosecution was driven by a “malicious campaign” from a rival media company, and accusing the trial’s judge of bias.
Trump also granted clemency to Trevor Milton, who had been sentenced to four years in prison for fraud after misleading investors about Nikola’s technology. Milton and his wife had donated nearly $2 million to Trump’s re-election campaign, leading some to question whether their financial support played a role in the president’s decision, noted The Guardian.
In comments made at the Oval Office on Friday, Trump explained why he pardoned both Watson and Milton. He stated that the clemency was a result of their support for him.
“They supported Trump,” Trump told reporters. “He liked Trump. I didn’t know him, but… They went after him, they went after his family, they went after his business, and he was I believe exonerated and then they went after him again. They brought him this time into Manhattan, and he had nothing to do with Manhattan. They got him, and I said, ‘That’s unfair.’ There are many people like that. They support Trump and they went after him.”
The connection between their donations and the clemency decisions has raised eyebrows, with critics suggesting that it influenced the president’s actions. However, Trump maintains that the legal battles faced by both Watson and Milton were driven by political bias against their support for him.
Trump’s decision to grant clemency not only cleared Watson and Milton of their sentences but also removed the legal penalties they faced, restoring their freedom and sparking debates over the fairness of such pardons. While Watson and Milton have expressed thanks, critics argue that the pardons reflect a broader pattern of political favoritism.
