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Democrats investigate alleged ‘pay
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, nursing home operator Joseph Schwartz, healthcare executive Paul Walczak, Oak View Group co-founder Timothy Leiweke, and entrepreneur Trevor Milton are among figures whom Democratic lawmakers believe may have received favorable treatment from Trump due to their personal support for him or insider connections to his allies.
The Democrats are investigating whether the pardons were driven by “pay-to-play” dynamics, according to the outlet, amid allegations that they were quid pro quo deals. The Washington Examiner contacted the White House for comment.
Walczak, a Florida healthcare executive convicted of tax evasion whom Trump pardoned in April 2025, is the son of a prominent GOP donor. Zhao, who pleaded guilty to money laundering charges and received a pardon in November, held close business ties to the Trump family company World Liberty Financial. Before his pardon, Leiweke was represented in court by Trump ally and former South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy. Milton donated money to Trump’s 2016, 2020, and 2024 campaigns, according to the Washington Post, but has denied that it was tied to his pardon.
Schwartz, the nursing home executive who pleaded guilty to a $38 million tax fraud scheme, reportedly paid lobbyists $960,000 to secure him a presidential pardon. The pardon allegedly followed payments to people in GOP circles close to Trump, according to the New York Times.
Welch, Min, and Ruiz are requesting details from the pardon recipients, including records showing any donations to Trump or groups affiliated with him. They are also requesting records of communications between recipients, or those acting on their behalf, and federal officials.
The scale and nature of Trump’s pardons have differed from those of his predecessors. Brian Kalt, a professor at the Michigan State University College of Law, previously told the Washington Examiner that Trump is relying on a swifter, more personable process that is less reliant on the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, which has traditionally been used for acts of clemency.
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