Summary
Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has pardoned many white-collar criminals, forgiving their fines and penalties. This has reduced money going into the Crime Victims Fund, which helps victims of violent crime pay for expenses like medical bills and funeral costs.
Key Facts
- The Crime Victims Fund is supported by fines and penalties from federal criminal cases, mostly white-collar crimes.
- Money from this fund helps local programs for domestic violence, rape crisis, and child abuse, as well as direct support for victims of gun violence.
- President Trump pardoned 117 people in his second term, many before their fines were paid, costing the fund at least $113 million.
- The largest single loss was a $100 million fine from HDR Global Trading (BitMEX), which was pardoned hours before payment was due.
- Presidential pardons with “remission of fines” (debt forgiveness) are unusual; none in Trump’s first term had this, but a third of pardons in his second term do.
- Large corporate fines make up most of the funds for the Crime Victims Fund, and their loss threatens its stability.
- Some pardoned individuals never had fines set by courts because they were pardoned before trial.
- Criminal fines already deposited cannot be refunded once in the fund, based on a recent court ruling.
