Trump's Clemency dey Weep Victims Millions of Dollars, Lawyers Talk
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Lawyers dey talk say President Trump ein pardons don leave fraud victims shortchanged of millions of dollars wey dem suppose get back. One former U.S. pardon attorney talk say, "The victims be the losers" for inside this matter.
For April, after e komot from prison because of presidential pardon, Jason Galanis, wey dem convict for fraud, start new legal fight: e dey try recover money wey e don pay back to ein victims.
As part of ein sentence for 2017, federal judge tell Galanis to pay more than $80 million as restitution for ein different fraudulent schemes. But when President Donald Trump commute Galanis ein 189-month prison sentence for March as part of pardons, Galanis ein pardon warrant talk say "no further fines [and] restitution" dem go collect.
Some days later, Galanis ask federal judge to order government to return about $2 million wey e don pay, e dey argue say because government never release those funds to ein victims, Galanis deserve dem.
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Galanis ein attorneys write for letter go give the judge say, "To put am simple, dem take the funds for particular reason. E dey clear say that reason no dey exist again, so the funds must return."
U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel, wey dey oversee Galanis ein case, rule say e no fit recover the $2 million. But some legal experts dey talk say Galanis ein attempt to retrieve those restitution funds dey show something bigger wey dem dey call Trump ein use of executive pardon powers wey never happen before.
Former U.S. pardon attorney Liz Oyer, wey no dey involved for the case, tell ABC News say, "Normally, Department of Justice no dey recommend pardon for cases wey the person owe plenty restitution... so these pardons wey dey wipe out big financial debts dey very unusual."
Oyer dey count say, recipients of Trump ein second-term pardons...