Paul Walczak, a former nursing home executive convicted of tax crimes, received a pardon from President Trump after his mother, Elizabeth Fago, attended a $1 million fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago.
Walczak’s January pardon application cited Fago’s extensive support for Trump, including raising millions and ties to efforts targeting President Biden’s 2020 campaign. It argued his prosecution was politically motivated, tied to his mother’s affiliations.
Though initially overlooked, Walczak was granted a full pardon less than three weeks after Fago attended the elite dinner promising face time with Trump. The pardon spared Walczak an 18-month sentence and $4.4 million restitution.
A judge had earlier ruled, “There is not a get-out-of-jail-free card” for the wealthy. However, critics see the pardon as proof of Trump rewarding loyalists.
A White House official echoed the application’s claims, saying Walczak was “targeted by the Biden administration over his family’s conservative politics.” Fago and Walczak did not respond to inquiries.
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