NYT: a billionaire's family gave Alina Habba a $50 million deal weeks before Trump pardoned him
The Times' reconstruction of how a pardon was sought, with the denials from Habba, the Justice Department and the White House.
The New York Times reported on October 20 that the family of Venezuelan banker Julio Herrera Velutini hired Alina Habba, Trump's former personal lawyer, as general counsel of Concord Partners, a Florida company set up by his daughter. Herrera had been charged over an alleged scheme to bribe Puerto Rico's governor and in August 2025 pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor campaign-finance violation. According to the Times, the deal guaranteed Habba more than $50 million over four years including bonuses, and was finalized while she was still U.S. attorney in New Jersey. She started on January 1, 2026; weeks later Trump granted Herrera a full and unconditional pardon. The Times reports his daughter had given $3.5 million to a super PAC tied to Trump.
Habba said any suggestion her job had to do with securing a pardon is false. The Justice Department said she "did not speak to anyone about a pardon," and a White House official said she "had nothing to do with the pardon."
Reporting
The New York Times (via GV Wire) ↗Across the spectrum 3
Democrat
Kendall Witmer, DNC deputy communications director: Responding on October 18 to Vance's denial of corruption, Witmer said Trump and his administration "have used their positions to fill their coffers and enrich their billionaire donors" while Vance "turns a blind eye to the corruption permeating every corner of this administration."
Democratic National Committee ↗Libertarian
Eric Boehm, Reason: Citing the Habba report, Boehm wrote on October 22 that "the mingling of personal and public business has become routine" in the White House and that corruption may be breaking through to voters ahead of the midterms.
Reason ↗Republican
JD Vance, Vice President: Asked about corruption this week, Vance told journalist Mark Halperin he has "never seen any evidence that anybody's selling access to the president" and "I don't think there's evidence that the Trump family has become enriched by politics."
Reason ↗-
Federal pardons in the United States
After exploring A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal., how the pardon power works is laid out in Federal pardons in the United States.
Explains that federal pardons are granted only by the president under the Constitution's power to grant reprieves and pardons, covering all federal offenses except impeachment.
Wikipedia · Swim · 30 min
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