4 ms·

Nikola founder Trevor Milton, convicted of fraud, granted full pardon by Trump

80 points by dralley 2y ago

dralley 2y ago
He donated $2 million to Republicans including $920,000 to Trump between September and December of 2024, having never previously made any political donations. https://x.com/kenbensinger/status/1905412782637679041 https://x.com/kenbensinger/status/1905412782637679041 He was convicted in 2022 on 3 counts of fraud & sentenced to 4 years + $169M in restitution & fines
- arresin 2y ago
  Does he keep the money now?
  - ttyprintk 2y ago
    There’s no sure answer nowadays, so set up an alert.
- verdverm 2y ago
  the swamp was drained to make room for a golf course and country club, pay your dues and make the proper social calls and you are part of the clic that can do unto others what others cannot do unto you
- dzhiurgis 2y ago
  How can one make donations while in jail?
  - rqtwteye 2y ago
    Fraud pays.
    - wraaath 2y ago
      And another one in this similar vein: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43510865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43510865 Also - Trump nerfed federal enforcement of foreign anti-bribery laws, because, of course. https://us.transparency.org/news/pause-on-enforcement-of-foreign-anti-bribery-law-threatens-a-dangerous-race-to-the-bottom/ https://us.transparency.org/news/pause-on-enforcement-of-for...
  - ttyprintk 2y ago
    He was never incarcerated.
clipsy 2y ago
game recognize game
_lvbh 2y ago
For those that support Trump, where is the line? Is this not outright corruption you'd usually see in 3rd world countries? I'm genuinely curious - I'm not from the US and don't keep up with your politics - how normal is this?
- lotsofpulp 2y ago
  They vote for him because he is openly corrupt. They just think they will be beneficiaries of some of the corruption.
  - Terr_ 2y ago
    A slightly more-charitable option: The supporter is willing to take a small virtuous socioeconomic hit as long as Trump/Republicans ensure that "those people" remain an underclass beneath the supporter, because that's how they think the world has to work. Structurally similar to how another person might pay more taxes if it meant free school lunches for poor kids or whatever.
  - wraaath 2y ago
    And then they get summarily purged by DOGE. Reddit LeopardsAteMyFace style.
  - vintermann 2y ago
    It's a very basic conman trick, to make the victim think they're in on the scam, as opposed to being its target.
- verdverm 2y ago
  It's not normal, Trump / MAGA is a paradigm shift driven by Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, and the Heritage Foundation. They are running the playbook that was prototyped in Hungary. This is going to take multiple generations to fix and I expect it to get worse before it gets better. I almost hope for a recession so that people who voted for tfg get a clue about how bad they have been lied to. If you want to know their justification, Fox News tows the line, not as bad as the new right media (which is really why they have been so successful)
kwertyoowiyop 2y ago
It must be depressing to be a prosecutor now.
- belter 2y ago
  Goodbye USA. Was nice meeting you... "Trump says Skadden, Arps law firm will provide $100 million in pro bono legal services, avoiding executive order" - https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/trump-skadden-law-firm-executive-order.html https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/trump-skadden-law-firm-execu... "Legal community shaken by a powerful law firm's decision to give in to Trump's demands" - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/legal-community-shaken-powerful-law-firm-paul-weiss-trump-rcna197490 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/legal-...
_DeadFred_ 2y ago
Nice. Signal to global investors that financial fraud can be excused with the right connections and undermine the trust and legal integrity that made U.S. markets a global safe haven.
- ttyprintk 2y ago
  You’re not looking forward. The new normal is “truthful hyperbole” and “flood the zone with shit” strategies from your financial adviser. A pardon for your financial adviser.
- spiderfarmer 2y ago
  Nobody is even thinking of investing in the US now.

80 points by dralley 2y ago

He donated $2 million to Republicans including $920,000 to Trump between September and December of 2024, having never previously made any political donations. https://x.com/kenbensinger/status/1905412782637679041 https://x.com/kenbensinger/status/1905412782637679041 He was convicted in 2022 on 3 counts of fraud & sentenced to 4 years + $169M in restitution & fines

arresin 2y ago
Does he keep the money now?
- ttyprintk 2y ago
  There’s no sure answer nowadays, so set up an alert.
verdverm 2y ago
the swamp was drained to make room for a golf course and country club, pay your dues and make the proper social calls and you are part of the clic that can do unto others what others cannot do unto you
dzhiurgis 2y ago
How can one make donations while in jail?
- rqtwteye 2y ago
  Fraud pays.
  - wraaath 2y ago
    And another one in this similar vein: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43510865 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43510865 Also - Trump nerfed federal enforcement of foreign anti-bribery laws, because, of course. https://us.transparency.org/news/pause-on-enforcement-of-foreign-anti-bribery-law-threatens-a-dangerous-race-to-the-bottom/ https://us.transparency.org/news/pause-on-enforcement-of-for...
- ttyprintk 2y ago
  He was never incarcerated.

clipsy 2y ago

game recognize game

_lvbh 2y ago

For those that support Trump, where is the line? Is this not outright corruption you'd usually see in 3rd world countries? I'm genuinely curious - I'm not from the US and don't keep up with your politics - how normal is this?

lotsofpulp 2y ago
They vote for him because he is openly corrupt. They just think they will be beneficiaries of some of the corruption.
- Terr_ 2y ago
  A slightly more-charitable option: The supporter is willing to take a small virtuous socioeconomic hit as long as Trump/Republicans ensure that "those people" remain an underclass beneath the supporter, because that's how they think the world has to work. Structurally similar to how another person might pay more taxes if it meant free school lunches for poor kids or whatever.
- wraaath 2y ago
  And then they get summarily purged by DOGE. Reddit LeopardsAteMyFace style.
- vintermann 2y ago
  It's a very basic conman trick, to make the victim think they're in on the scam, as opposed to being its target.
verdverm 2y ago
It's not normal, Trump / MAGA is a paradigm shift driven by Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, and the Heritage Foundation. They are running the playbook that was prototyped in Hungary. This is going to take multiple generations to fix and I expect it to get worse before it gets better. I almost hope for a recession so that people who voted for tfg get a clue about how bad they have been lied to. If you want to know their justification, Fox News tows the line, not as bad as the new right media (which is really why they have been so successful)

kwertyoowiyop 2y ago

It must be depressing to be a prosecutor now.

belter 2y ago
Goodbye USA. Was nice meeting you... "Trump says Skadden, Arps law firm will provide $100 million in pro bono legal services, avoiding executive order" - https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/trump-skadden-law-firm-executive-order.html https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/trump-skadden-law-firm-execu... "Legal community shaken by a powerful law firm's decision to give in to Trump's demands" - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/legal-community-shaken-powerful-law-firm-paul-weiss-trump-rcna197490 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/legal-...

_DeadFred_ 2y ago

Nice. Signal to global investors that financial fraud can be excused with the right connections and undermine the trust and legal integrity that made U.S. markets a global safe haven.

ttyprintk 2y ago
You’re not looking forward. The new normal is “truthful hyperbole” and “flood the zone with shit” strategies from your financial adviser. A pardon for your financial adviser.
spiderfarmer 2y ago
Nobody is even thinking of investing in the US now.