$50 million and a presidential pardon: The shady deal of the Venezuelan billionaire and Trump's lawyer
A New York Times investigation reveals a connection between a pardon granted by Trump to a Venezuelan billionaire convicted in the US and a contract worth over $50 million received by his former lawyer, Alina Habba. Habba denied any involvement.
A New York Times investigation reveals a link between a pardon granted by President Trump to Venezuelan billionaire Wilmer Herrera Voutini, convicted in the US, and a massive contract worth over $50 million received by his former lawyer, Alina Habba. Herrera Voutini, from a banking aristocracy family, was charged with bribery and signed a lenient plea deal in August 2025. His family initially tried to hire another Trump lawyer, and his daughter donated millions to a political organization close to the president. Eventually, they offered Habba the role of legal counsel for a mysterious company established in Florida, with a salary of $10 million per year for four years. Habba completed the contract while still a federal prosecutor and began work on January 1. Weeks later, Trump granted a full pardon. Habba denied any involvement, and the Justice Department and White House backed her statements. The article notes that in Trump's second term, a "pardon industry" developed where wealthy criminals pay insiders.