Trump Pardons Include People With Ties To Florida

FLORIDA — President Donald Trump issued a flurry of pardons and commuted sentences in the final hours of his presidency, including at least a dozen with ties to Florida.

Trump granted pardons to 73 people and commuted the sentences of another 70 as one of his final acts before leaving office Wednesday.

Notably, he did not pardon himself or any members of his family or former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, his personal attorney.

In Florida, Trump pardoned the following individuals:

Paul Behrens, Thaddeus Bereday, Peter Clay, Todd Farha, William Kale

These WellCare executives, headquartered in Tampa, were convicted in a Florida Medicaid fraud case in 2008, WUSF reported.

Trump granted them full pardons, and the White House said their conviction has been “widely cited as a case study in overcriminalization.”

The statement said, “Notably, there was no evidence that any of the individuals were motivated by greed. And in fact, the sentencing judge called the likelihood that there was any personal financial motivation ‘infinitesimal.’ The judge imposed a range of sentences from probation to 3 years’ imprisonment, reflecting the conduct as an aberration from these individuals’ otherwise law-abiding lives.”

Robert Bowker

Bowker pled guilty to violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits wildlife trafficking, 30 years ago, by arranging for 22 snakes owned by Rudy ‘Cobra King’ Komarek to be transported to the Miami Serpentarium, the White House said.

“Although he did not ask for any animals in return, he was offered 22 American alligators,” the statement said.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation. Since then, he’s donated to animal conservation efforts. Trump granted him a full pardon.

Lil Wayne/Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.

Rapper Lil Wayne was among them. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., the rapper’s real name, received a full pardon for his conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon more than 10 years ago, the White House said.

The charges came from a December holiday visit to South Florida, where he owns a home in Miami Beach. Authorities found a weapon on his private jet while searching it. As a convicted felon, he faced 10 years in prison.

“Mr. Carter has exhibited this generosity through commitment to a variety of charities, including donations to research hospitals and a host of food banks,” the statement said.

Fred “Dave” Clark

Trump commuted the 40-year sentence of Clearwater-based Ponzi scheme operator Fred “Dave” Clark, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

He was sentenced in 2016 after raising more than $300 million from investors as CEO of Cay Clubs Resorts and Marina, which promised to redevelop dilapidated properties in Florida, Las Vegas and the Caribbean as luxury resorts. Really, though, he was using the money to pay back previous investors and live a lavish lifestyle, reports said.

Clark served six years of his sentence, and “while in prison, Mr. Clark has lead Bible Study and developed a ‘Promising People’ program to teach inmates technical skills and connect them with faith-based support,” the White House said.

Abel Holtz

Trump offered a full pardon to a Miami banker who lied to a federal grand jury about bribing former corrupt Miami Beach Mayor Alex Daoud, the Miami Herald reported.

Abel Holtz, the 86-year-old former founder of Capitol Bank, pleaded guilty in 1994 and was sentenced to 45 days in prison for making secret payments to Daoud.

“Before his conviction, Mr. Holtz, who was the chairman of a local bank, never had any legal issues and has had no other legal issues since his conviction. Mr. Holtz has devoted extensive time and resources to supporting charitable causes in South Florida, including substantial donations to the city of Miami Beach,” the White House said.

Kodak Black/Bill K. Kapri

Kodak Black, another rapper who was convicted of weapons charges in Florida, also received a pardon from Trump. Raised in Pompano Beach, the rapper, whose real name is Bill K. Kapri, donates to numerous charities.

“In fact, he has committed to supporting a variety of charitable efforts, such as providing educational resources to students and families of fallen law enforcement officers and the underprivileged,” the White House said.

Salomon Melgen

Trump commuted the 17-year sentence of a Palm Beach County ophthalmologist convicted of Medicare fraud, the Miami Herald reported. Salomon Melgen, 66, was convicted about four years ago and has been serving his time in the Federal Correction Institution in Miami.

“Dr. Melgen was convicted of healthcare fraud and false statements. Numerous patients and friends testify to his generosity in treating all patients, especially those unable to pay or unable to afford healthcare insurance,” the White House said.

Robert “Bob” Zangrillo

Trump has granted a full pardon to Robert Zangrillo, one of 50 people indicted in the nationwide college admissions bribery scheme, the South Florida Business Journal reported. The Miami-based Dragon Global CEO was accused of conspiring to bribe University of Southern California officials to have his daughter recruited for USC’s crew team.

“However, his daughter did not have others take standardized tests for her and she is currently earning a 3.9 GPA at the University of Southern California. Mr. Zangrillo is a well-respected business leader and philanthropist,” the White House said.

Among the other individuals who received a last-minute pardon or commutation from Trump was Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist. Bannon was charged last August, accused of duping thousands of donors who believed their money would be used to help fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the nation’s southern border.

Bannon was accused of diverting more than $1 million to pay a salary to a campaign official and personal expenses for himself, according to The Associated Press. His co-defendants in the case were not pardoned.

The Bannon pardon was especially notable in that the prosecution was still in its early stages and a trial was likely months away, The AP reported. The pardon will now nullify the prosecution and eliminate any possibility of punishment.

“Mr. Bannon has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen,” the White House wrote in a news release announcing his full pardon.

Bannon also has Florida ties, as he was registered to vote in Sarasota during the 2016 election and also had a film company registered in the state with a Sarasota address, the Herald-Tribune reported.

Ex-members of Congress and other allies of the Trump family were among the others who received a pardon during the final 24 hours of the Trump presidency.

Former lawmakers pardoned include former Rep. Rick Renzi, an Arizona Republican who was convicted on charges of corruption and money laundering; and former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham of California, who was convicted of accepting bribes from defense contractors.

Trump commuted the prison sentence of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who has served seven years in prison for a racketeering and bribery scheme.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.