President Donald Trump’s return to power has created a stampede of white-collar criminals, Crypto figures, and convicted politicians hoping for presidential clemency.
With Trump’s long history of attacking the U.S. justice system, many of these convicts see an opportunity to cast themselves as victims in a system they claim is as corrupt as the one that jailed them.
Among the high-profile names making their pleas for mercy are Sam Bankman-Fried, Bob Menendez, Roger Ver, and Joby Weeks, along with a long list of fraudsters, tax evaders, and exiled businessmen. Some are openly appealing to Trump’s grievances, while others are offering political ammunition in exchange for freedom, according to an editorial from Politico today.
Crypto felons gamble on Trump’s mercy
One group watching Trump’s pardon decisions closely is the crypto community. When Trump issued a week-one pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road, it sent a clear message that crypto-related cases were on his radar, so of course now other crypto figures are hoping for a similar outcome.
Joby Weeks, a Bitcoin miner, is one of them. Weeks pleaded guilty in 2020 to tax evasion and running an unregistered securities offering linked to his crypto dealings, and he has been awaiting sentencing ever since, as federal prosecutors continue to build a wider conspiracy case.
But instead of waiting quietly, Weeks fired his high-powered attorney David Boies last week and is now representing himself.
Weeks filed his own motion to dismiss his case, but instead of using standard legal arguments, he invoked Trump’s words directly. His motion, sent to Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, started with:
“President Trump said to ‘FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!’ And so, I am.”
Speaking from house arrest in Denver, Weeks told reporters he was hoping for direct intervention. “It would be great to have Trump step in and say, ‘Enough is enough,’” he said.
Then we got Roger Ver, better known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” who is also pushing for a pardon. Roger is a former U.S. citizen turned Caribbean national who was indicted in April 2024 for evading $50 million in taxes and was arrested in Spain, where he remains fighting extradition to the U.S.
Roger, like many of the others, has chosen a media strategy over a legal one. He sat down with Tucker Carlson in December, saying:
“To be honest, I think they’re not really angry about taxes at all. I think they’re just angry about my lack of obedience and lack of kissing their ring.”
Roger’s supporters have launched a campaign similar to the one that secured Ross’ pardon. A #FreeRogerVer movement has taken over social media, complete with a petition, a memecoin, and endorsements from Trump allies like Alex Jones and Roger Stone. Four days after Ross pardon, Roger posted a direct appeal to Trump on X:
“If there’s anybody that knows what it’s like to be the victim of lawfare for spreading American ideals, it’s Donald Trump.”
Meanwhile, Ross himself has advocated for the release of Roger.
Bankman-Fried, Menendez, and political convicts line up
Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried, the former FTX CEO, is another name circulating in pardon discussions. Sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud, SBF has remained active behind bars, working through his parents and legal team to explore a clemency deal.
According to Bloomberg, Bankman-Fried’s mother, Barbara Fried, and his former attorney, Marc Mukasey, have been quietly pushing for options, and SBF himself has made his position clear. In a recent New York Sun interview, he attacked Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw his trial. Kaplan was also the judge who ruled against Trump in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case, making him an easy choice for a pardon plea.
“I know President Trump had a lot of frustrations with Judge Kaplan,” Bankman-Fried said. “I certainly did as well.”
SBF has also gone on Tucker Carlson to basically say he was afraid he’s gonna die in prison by the time he’s 40. SBF is 33 right now.
On the political side, Bob Menendez is also hoping for clemency. The former senator, convicted of bribery and corruption, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Outside the Manhattan courthouse where he received his sentence, he declared:
“President Trump is right. This process is political and it’s corrupted to the core.”
Menendez later tagged @RealDonaldTrump on X, making his intentions clear, but unlike President Trump, Menendez is a proud Bitcoin hater. He harassed El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele for years over his decision to adopt Bitcoin on a federal level. After his arrest, Nayib kept trolling him on X, as Menendez was found with loads of cash and gold in his home. Nayibe jokingly said that he should’ve taken those bribes in Bitcoin, cause then all he’d need would be a flash drive for his cold wallet.
Anyway, at the US local government level, Trayon White, a former D.C. council member, is fighting federal bribery charges. White has accused the FBI of setting him up and even appeared at a Senate hearing for Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI.
“I’m glad to hear the potential director say he will be fair and just. This is what America wants,” White posted on Instagram.
Supporters have rented a truck to sit outside D.C. Council headquarters, displaying a massive image of White and a message:
“FBI set me up.”
Ekim Alptekin offers Biden dirt for a pardon
Ekim Alptekin, a Turkish businessman facing indictment, is taking a different approach. He’s offering information in exchange for clemency.
In an audio broadcast on X, Alptekin claimed that in 2019, Jim Biden and Sara Biden—Joe Biden’s brother and sister-in-law—visited him in Turkey. According to Alptekin, they offered to help his legal case if he hired former Attorney General Eric Holder for $3 million.
Alptekin says he believes the real goal was to get him to implicate Michael Flynn, Trump’s former National Security Adviser, in wrongdoing. Now, he wants to share his story, but with a condition:
“I would prefer the case to be dismissed. I’ll settle for a pardon for the sake of my family.”
Representatives for Jim and Sara Biden did not respond to requests for comment.
George Santos stays quiet on a pardon
One name surprisingly absent from the pardon-seeking frenzy is George Santos. The former congressman, convicted of fraud and identity theft, is awaiting sentencing in April.
Asked if he would seek a pardon, Santos responded:
“I’m the worst advocate for myself, so I have no words for your article,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
While others openly lobby for Trump’s mercy, Santos remains one of the few still on the sidelines.
Trump’s return to office has triggered a wave of pardon requests, and according to Sam Mangel, a consultant for white-collar criminals, the demand is off the charts.
“Before Trump, I got two inquiries per year. Now I’m getting two to four per day. The level of interest is unheard of,” Mangel said.
With Trump’s new pardon czar, Alice Johnson, now in charge, the list of potential beneficiaries is growing daily. Whether Trump will grant them all clemency remains to be seen, but for now, the line keeps getting longer.
