Joseph Schwartz paid $960,000 to pardon lobbyists before receiving a full pardon for a $38 million payroll-tax fraud
A later lobbyist in the matter was himself charged with extortion over pardon-work fees; victims' judgments remain unsatisfied.
Lobbyist involved in Trump pardon work charged with extortion
The New York Times · Secondary report
- Link
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/us/lobbyist-trump-pardon-extortion-charge.html
- Publication date
- 2026-03-14
- Accessed
- 2026-07-21
- Last verified
- 2026-07-21
- Type
- news_report
- Notes
- The extortion charge is against the lobbyist, not against any pardon recipient, and is an unadjudicated allegation.