Former Republican governor of Puerto Rico

Wanda Vázquez Garced

a.k.a. “The Governor”

She was indicted in 2022, accused of taking campaign money from a banker in exchange for firing the regulator investigating his bank. The case shrank to a misdemeanor. Then she was pardoned twice in five days, once for the bribery charges and once for the misdemeanor. So was the banker.

Rap sheet

Charged with: Conspiracy; federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud [1]
Pleaded to: A misdemeanor campaign-finance charge (contribution by a foreign national) [1][3]
Granted: Pardons on January 15 and January 20, 2026 [1][2]

The receipt

PARDONMAXXING WANDA VÁZQUEZ GARCED - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wiped off the books

Bribery case [2] Gone
Misdemeanor [1] 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 banker Julio Herrera Velutini and ex-FBI agent Mark Rossini. [3]
January 15, 2026 The pardon Pardoned for the original charges. [2]
January 20, 2026 The pardon Pardoned for the misdemeanor. [1]

Detective’s notes

Commentary

See also: the banker. Some cases come as a set.

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: Wanda Vázquez Garced U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney · January 15, 2026
Trump pardons former Puerto Rico governor Wanda Vázquez CNN · January 16, 2026