The pursuit of presidential pardons has become a lucrative industry, with law firms and lobbyists reportedly commanding fees of millions of dollars for what is termed "executive relief." Former California congressional candidate Omar Navarro stated he was told to pay between $2 million and $3 million to a law firm to help secure a presidential pardon. Navarro, who is currently serving a prison sentence for embezzlement, claimed the individuals making these insinuations were powerful figures within government agencies.
While the White House asserts that President Trump takes his pardon power seriously and that a rigorous review process involving the Department of Justice and White House Counsel's Office is in place, the reported sums paid by clemency hopefuls are substantial. A spokesperson for the president stated that he finds any attempt to profit from pardons "detestable."
Despite these assurances, reports indicate significant payments have been made. Nursing home owner Joseph Schwartz, pardoned in November 2025 after admitting to withholding $39 million in payroll taxes, paid three firms a total of $1.1 million for advocacy. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and his company reportedly spent $2 million on "executive relief" efforts before Zhao was pardoned in October 2025 after pleading guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. Zhao's legal team paid Baker & Hostetler LLP $30,000, while Binance paid the same firm $70,000. Binance also paid Checkmate Government Relations $1.9 million for "executive relief" and other cryptocurrency-related issues.
The Vogel Group, founded by former Republican Senate staffer Alex Vogel, reported earning $270,000 in Trump's first term from four clemency clients, including "scam PAC" operator William Tierney and stockbroker Ron Bauer, neither of whom have yet been pardoned.
Anne Pramaggiore, former CEO of Exelon Utilities, convicted in May 2023, paid $600,000 to two firms seeking a pardon. She was released on bail in April with a new trial ordered. Of that amount, $280,000 went to RRB Strategies, run by former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who received a full pardon from Trump in February 2025 after his corruption sentence was commuted in 2020.
University of St. Thomas School of Law professor Mark Osler, who also directs a clemency clinic, described the going rate for services promising to influence pardon decisions as "shocking." He noted that top Washington, D.C., lawyers typically charge between $600 and over $1,000 per hour, with partners at major firms potentially charging up to $1,500 per hour for specialized services.
Margaret Love, an attorney with extensive experience in pardon applications, stated that Trump has "abandoned the regular process," turning executive clemency into a "free-for-all." She observed that many individuals paying large sums are not achieving their desired outcomes, with some being victims of scams.
Rapper Boosie BadAzz, whose legal name is Torence Hatch Jr., claims he paid lobbyists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman $600,000 for clemency services related to a felony gun possession charge, but the pardon did not materialize. Hatch is suing for the return of at least half his fee, a claim Wohl and Burkman dispute. Wohl and Burkman have a prior conviction for telecommunications fraud related to a 2020 robocall scheme targeting minority voters. They were sentenced to probation and community service.
Keith Schiller, Trump's former bodyguard, and his firm Javelin Advisors, reportedly received $1 million to lobby for "executive relief" for New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes. Daibes was convicted in 2024 of bribing former Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife with gold bars and was sentenced in January 2025 to seven years in federal prison, though he has not received a pardon.
Navarro, unable to afford such services, remains in a Los Angeles detention center, awaiting a permanent prison assignment. He described himself as "just a regular person, you know?" without political or financial backing.