Trump’s Pardons Erase $119 Million in Crime Victims’ Restitution

Since President Donald Trump took office for his second term in January 2025, his clemency orders have erased at least $119 million in court-ordered restitution owed to crime victims, a CBS News investigation has found. This sharp contrast with former President Joe Biden’s clemency record highlights a significant shift in how restitution is handled amid presidential pardons and commutations.

Restitution Wiped Out in High-Profile Cases

One notable example is Carlos Watson, co-founder of the media startup Ozy Media. Convicted of fraud in July 2024 after an eight-week trial in Brooklyn, Watson was ordered to repay investors nearly $37 million, including millions to Thomas Franco, a private equity partner who had invested almost $4 million in Ozy. However, just hours before Watson was to begin his prison sentence in March last year, President Trump commuted his nearly 10-year sentence, wiping away the restitution order.

Franco described feeling victimized again despite acknowledging the president’s constitutional authority to grant clemency. “Clearly the president has constitutional authority to grant clemency, and I certainly don’t question that authority,” Franco told CBS News. “But authority and accountability are two very different things.”

Scale and Impact of Clemency on Restitution

CBS News reviewed court judgments tied to over 160 clemency orders President Trump issued from January 2025 through October 2026, focusing on unpaid restitution erased by those orders. This review excluded more than 1,500 blanket pardons and commutations linked to the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol riot, where restitution was typically a standard $500 or $2,000.

The victims who lost restitution range across a wide spectrum, including small family food businesses, community banks, major companies like candy maker Mars Wrigley, the IRS, actor Terry Crews, and a trust linked to baseball star Alex Rodriguez. The $119 million figure does not include restitution amounts prosecutors sought but courts had not ordered yet, such as the $660.8 million sought from former Nikola CEO Trevor Milton before President Trump granted his pardon.

Comparison with Biden Administration Clemency

By contrast, during his four years in office, former President Joe Biden’s clemency orders erased only $14,000 in restitution, according to Justice Department records. The majority of Biden’s clemency actions were commutations that left financial penalties intact rather than pardons.

Asked about Watson’s commutation, a White House official defended the decision, stating that “the length of Watson’s sentence as well as the amount of financial penalties was widely recognized as egregious.” This perspective aligns with the broader pattern of President Trump’s clemency approach, which has prioritized reducing sentences and financial penalties across various cases.

Broader Consequences for Crime Victims

The erasure of restitution has left many victims without the financial compensation courts ordered them to receive. These victims include individuals, businesses, government agencies, and public figures who had relied on court judgments to recover losses caused by criminal activity.

Restitution is a critical part of the justice system’s effort to compensate victims. When presidential clemency cancels these debts, victims may face enduring financial harm with little recourse. The scale of the $119 million wiped out since January 2025 underscores the widespread impact of these clemency decisions.

As President Trump continues issuing clemency orders, the ongoing tension between presidential authority and victim restitution remains a contentious issue, raising questions about accountability and justice for those harmed by crime.