Trump Pardons Founder of Electric Vehicle Start-Up Nikola, Trevor Milton (theguardian.com)
- Reference: 0176850679
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/03/28/2041200/trump-pardons-founder-of-electric-vehicle-start-up-nikola-trevor-milton
- Source link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/28/trump-pardons-nikola-founder
> Trevor Milton, the founder of electric vehicle start-up Nikola who was sentenced to prison last year, was [1]pardoned by Donald Trump late on Thursday , the White House confirmed on Friday. The pardon of Milton, who was [2]sentenced to four years in prison for exaggerating the potential of his technology, could wipe out hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution that prosecutors were seeking for defrauded investors. Milton and his wife donated more than $1.8 million to a Trump re-election campaign fund less than a month before the November election, according to the Federal Election Commission.
>
> At Milton's trial, prosecutors say a company video of a prototype truck appearing to be driven down a desert highway was actually a video of a non-functioning Nikola that had been rolled down a hill. Milton had not been incarcerated pending an appeal. Milton said late on Thursday on social media and via a press release that he had been pardoned by Trump. "I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for his courage in standing up for what is right and for granting me this sacred pardon of innocence," Milton said.
Here's a timeline of notable events surrounding Nikola:
June, 2016: [3]Nikola Motor Receives Over 7,000 Preorders Worth Over $2.3 Billion For Its Electric Truck
December, 2016: [4]Nikola Motor Company Reveals Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck With Range of 1,200 Miles
February, 2020: [5]Nikola Motors Unveils Hybrid Fuel-Cell Concept Truck With 600-Mile Range
June, 2020: [6]Nikola Founder Exaggerated the Capability of His Debut Truck
September, 2020: [7]Nikola Motors Accused of Massive Fraud, Ocean of Lies
September, 2020: [8]Nikola Admits Prototype Was Rolling Downhill In Promo Video
September, 2020: [9] Nikola Founder Trevor Milton Steps Down as Chairman in Battle With Short Seller
October, 2020: [10]Nikola Stock Falls 14 Percent After CEO Downplays Badger Truck Plans
November, 2020: [11]Nikola Stock Plunges As Company Cancels Badger Pickup Truck
July, 2021: [12]Nikola Founder Trevor Milton Indicted on Three Counts of Fraud
December, 2021: [13]EV Startup Nikola Agrees To $125 Million Settlement
September, 2022: [14]Nikola Founder Lied To Investors About Tech, Prosecutor Says in Fraud Trial
December, 2023: [15]Nikola Founder Trevor Milton Sentenced To 4 Years For Securities Fraud
February 19, 2025: [16]Nikola Files for Bankruptcy With Plans To Sell Assets, Wind Down
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/28/trump-pardons-nikola-founder
[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/12/18/211236/nikola-founder-trevor-milton-sentenced-to-4-years-for-securities-fraud
[3] https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/16/06/13/2120234/nikola-motor-receives-over-7000-preorders-worth-over-23-billion-for-its-electric-truck
[4] https://news.slashdot.org/story/16/12/03/0016213/nikola-motor-company-reveals-hydrogen-fuel-cell-truck-with-range-of-1200-miles
[5] https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/20/02/11/220219/nikola-motors-unveils-hybrid-fuel-cell-concept-truck-with-600-mile-range
[6] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/20/06/17/2012236/nikola-founder-exaggerated-the-capability-of-his-debut-truck
[7] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/20/09/11/2251238/nikola-motors-accused-of-massive-fraud-ocean-of-lies
[8] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/20/09/14/1946225/nikola-admits-prototype-was-rolling-downhill-in-promo-video
[9] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/20/09/21/205215/nikola-founder-trevor-milton-steps-down-as-chairman-in-battle-with-short-seller
[10] https://news.slashdot.org/story/20/10/16/2111249/nikola-stock-falls-14-percent-after-ceo-downplays-badger-truck-plans
[11] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/20/11/30/2152241/nikola-stock-plunges-as-company-cancels-badger-pickup-truck
[12] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/21/07/29/165203/nikola-founder-trevor-milton-indicted-on-three-counts-of-fraud
[13] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/21/12/22/0630206/ev-startup-nikola-agrees-to-125-million-settlement
[14] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/22/09/13/1727250/nikola-founder-lied-to-investors-about-tech-prosecutor-says-in-fraud-trial
[15] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/23/12/18/211236/nikola-founder-trevor-milton-sentenced-to-4-years-for-securities-fraud
[16] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/02/19/1459220/nikola-files-for-bankruptcy-with-plans-to-sell-assets-wind-down
SBF next? (Score:3)
Might as well free all scammers
Re: (Score:2)
Biden started this with his preemptive pardons.
Re: SBF next? (Score:2)
Bazinga.
Re: (Score:2)
I've met some dick rider and kool aid drinkers in my day, but good lord.
Re: (Score:3)
> Biden started this with his preemptive pardons.
And considering the way this presidency is turning into non-stop petty retribution, it's a good thing he did those preemptive pardons.
the holy sword of healing (Score:2)
"...granting me this sacred pardon of innocence..."
Who is stupid enough to not be nauseated by this language, SuperKendall?
Re: (Score:2)
> Who is stupid enough to not be nauseated by this language, SuperKendall?
People who have the Fox News logo burned into their tv.
Mafia Donald (Score:2)
Pay tribute to the king of criminality!
It's cheaper than lawyers and more reliable.
Now accepting cryptocurrency for plausible deniability and tax avoidance!
So he's guilty as charged (Score:2)
So he's guilty as charged, because accepting a pardon comes with the admission that you were, in fact, guilty.
Rich criminals, rejoice! Daddy Trump has your back (for the right price, of course).
Re: (Score:3)
> So he's guilty as charged, because accepting a pardon comes with the admission that you were, in fact, guilty.
Actually Nope...
In Lorrance v. Commandant, USDB, the 10th circuit finds that accepting a pardon does not confess to anything and does not preclude the recipient from petitioning for habeas corpus relief from his or her court-martial conviction and sentence.
Put simply, a presidential pardon does not denote innocence or change an existing conviction. Rather, it represents forgiveness. When one accepts a presidential pardon, he or she is not admitting guilt or waiving habeas rights.
[1]https://courtmartiallaw.com/ [courtmartiallaw.com]
[1] https://courtmartiallaw.com/military-law/if-you-accept-a-pardon-does-it-admit-guilt/
Re: (Score:2)
I stand corrected!
get'em while they're hot! (Score:2)
~donated more than $1.8 million to a Trump re-election campaign~
The kleptocracy is so embolden they don't even bother to hide it anymore.
Pardons! Pardons for sale! Get'em while their hot!
At his whim (Score:2)
A king is the fountainhead of justice.
Those weren't lies (Score:2)
Those were forward-looking statements.
Hmm (Score:2)
Is there anyone who donated money or campaigned for Trump that didn't get a pardon?
now we know (Score:2)
how much a presidential pardon costs. seems a bit cheap actually, but he IS a deal-maker, right?
Get rid of pardons (Score:2)
If someone is convicted of a heinous crime that causes great suffering to individuals there should be no route to pardon other than by a randomly selected multi-judge panel who finds the person wrongly convicted. Note, the key here is that the judges are randomly selected. I understand we need to sometimes exchange prisoners such as spies, but in that instance it must require approval from a randomly selected panel from the public (similar to juries), AND, the person must be exiled or banned from the US.
Help Trump = You're a "good guy" (Score:2)
Trump has demonstrated a supreme lack of moral character when it comes to who he decides is "good" and "bad". If you in any way helped Trump, he sees it as transactional and quid pro quo returns the favour.. The below groups or individuals were known to have supported Trump, contributed financially to his campaign, or been involved in actions that supported his political ambitions. This list highlights a pattern where legal interventions or clemency were granted to individuals with ideological or financial
It's who you know and what you pay ... (Score:2)
His lawyer is (now) U.S. AG Pam Bondi's brother and Milton donated $1.8M to Trump. Trump blames Milton conviction on the Biden administration being "vicious and violent" -- not Milton bilking investors out of $$$ and securities and wire fraud.
From Trump Defends Pardoning One of His Political Donors – Who Was Represented by Pam Bondi’s Brother
> During the case, Milton retained Brad Bondi, the brother of longtime Trump ally Pam Bondi, who is now U.S. Attorney General. Milton was also represented by Marc Mukasey, who has represented the Trump Organization.
> Milton and his wife donated more than $1.8 million to a pro-Trump reelection fund the month before November’s election.
> “What was your reason for pardoning Trevor Milton?” the reporter asked.
> “Uh, highly recommended by many people,” Trump replied. “There are many people like that. They support Trump and they went after him. You don’t realize this is a vicious group of people that were in this office before us. This is a vicious group. They’re violent.”
A variation of Trump's go-to pardon justification of "[person (I don't know)] was treated very unfairly." -- regardless of the crime and conviction by
WCC (Score:1)
Wealthy Criminals Club
Where they only drink Tres Comas Tequila
Re: (Score:2)
Russ wasn't actually that bad of a guy.