President Donald Trump’s clemency orders have affected more than $1 billion in federal fines and restitution since he returned to office, a new investigation found, and fraud victims ranging from small family businesses to retirees have been left with little hope of getting their money back.
CBS News reviewed court judgments in more than 160 clemency orders issued from January 2025 through October 2026. The review excluded the more than 1,500 grants tied to the 2020 election and Jan. 6.
Here’s how the total breaks down:
- About $119.4 million in court-ordered restitution owed directly to victims was wiped out.
- Nearly $120 million in fines that would have gone to the federal Crime Victims Fund was erased.
- About $665.8 million in restitution sought by prosecutors was cut off before judges could rule.
- About $170.9 million is owed jointly by pardoned defendants and co-defendants who did not receive clemency.
That adds up to about $1.08 billion. By contrast, President Joe Biden’s clemency orders erased about $14,000 in restitution over four years, according to Justice Department records. Most of Biden’s orders were commutations that left financial penalties intact, CBS noted. A House Judiciary Committee report earlier put the cost to crime victims even higher, at $1.7 billion.