Venezuelan-Italian banker

Julio Herrera Velutini

a.k.a. “Pardoned Twice in Five Days”

He was indicted in 2022 on charges of bribing Puerto Rico’s governor to fire a bank regulator. After Trump won, his 25-year-old daughter gave $3.5 million to MAGA Inc. The case shrank to a single misdemeanor. Then he was pardoned for the original charges, and five days later for the misdemeanor too. So was the governor.

Rap sheet

Charged with: Conspiracy; federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud (Puerto Rico) [1]
Pleaded to: Contribution by a foreign national (a misdemeanor) [1][4]
Granted: Pardon for the bribery charges, January 15, 2026. Pardon for the misdemeanor, January 20, 2026. [2][3]
Co-defendants: Former Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced and ex-FBI agent Mark Rossini, pardoned on the same two days [1]

The receipt

PARDONMAXXING JULIO HERRERA VELUTINI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Money on the table (reported)

To MAGA Inc. from his 25-year-old daughter [5] $3,500,000

Wiped off the books

Federal bribery case [2] Gone
The misdemeanor he pleaded to instead [3] Also gone

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Gold is money that was reportedly spent near the President’s orbit. Red is what the grant wiped away. We list what was reported and when. We don’t claim one caused the other. How we count.

Timeline

August 2022 The law Indicted with Gov. Vázquez and Mark Rossini in an alleged bribery scheme. [4]
December 2024 The money His daughter gives $2.5 million to MAGA Inc., followed by $1 million more in July 2025. [5]
January 15, 2026 The pardon Pardoned for the bribery charges. [2]
January 20, 2026 The pardon Pardoned again, this time for the misdemeanor. [3]
February 17, 2026 Meanwhile The Campaign Legal Center files an FEC complaint alleging the daughter’s donations were really his money. Foreign nationals can’t legally give to U.S. political committees. [5]

Detective’s notes

Commentary

Two pardons in five days, one for the charges he didn’t plead to and one for the charge he did. That’s thorough.

Sources

Clemency grants by President Donald J. Trump, 2025–present (archived Sept. 20, 2026) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney, via the Internet Archive
Signed clemency warrant: Julio Herrera Velutini U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney · January 15, 2026
Signed clemency warrant: Julio Herrera Velutini U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney · January 20, 2026
Trump pardons former Puerto Rico governor Wanda Vázquez CNN · January 16, 2026
Seeking pardon, foreign billionaire allegedly funneled millions to Trump super PAC Campaign Legal Center · February 2026