Gilad Thaler

Eli Weinstein is a convicted fraudster who stole millions of dollars from investors at the height of the pandemic. He was able to do so because President Donald Trump during his first term commuted his 24-year sentence for a previous conviction. Now Weinstein is said to be planning to ask Trump for clemency again.

Within months of his release in 2021, Weinstein returned to scamming, stealing from unsuspecting victims until he was caught and convicted again, this time sentenced to 37 years in prison. While the administration contends it carefully weighs all petitions, the case points up what critics argue is a radical new system of how presidential clemency is granted, one where financial resources, connections and politics govern who goes free and who does not.