The closest associates of the current US President Donald Trump have earned tens of thousands of dollars for helping to pardon criminals. This is reported by The New York Times with reference to its sources.
According to the American publication, in recent weeks, when it became obvious that Trump would leave the post of head of state, the number of pardons increased sharply. It is noted that many of the president’s supporters, using Trump’s claims to the justice system in the country, helped pardon their “candidates”.
The newspaper believes that Trump aides were paid to promote a pardon for the son of a former Arkansas senator, who was accused of creating an online drug-selling platform Silk Road, and a socialite accused of fraud.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that Trump discussed the possibility of pardoning himself. According to two people familiar with the situation, the American leader thought about his own pardon in the last days of his presidency. According to the newspaper, this could be one of the most extraordinary and unverified uses of presidential power in US history.