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The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Trump pardons former Virginia sheriff convicted of fraud and bribery
Donald Trump announced on Monday that he had issued an unconditional pardon to a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted on federal fraud and bribery charges. Scott Jenkins, 53, had served as the sheriff of Culpeper county in northern Virginia for 12 years, having been elected in 2011 and re-elected twice. In 2024, a jury found him guilty of accepting more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing several northern Virginia businessmen as auxiliary deputy sheriffs within his office. He was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. In March 2025, Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. According to prosecutors, Jenkins accepted bribes from at least eight people, including two undercover FBI agents, in the form of cash and campaign contributions. Prosecutors say that he issued official badges and credentials in return, allowing the individuals to avoid traffic tickets and carry concealed firearms without a permit. Three people – Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner and James Metcalf – pleaded guilty to secondary roles in the case, with prosecutors saying Jenkins accepted bribes from them. In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump defended Jenkins calling him a 'victim of an overzealous' justice department during Joe Biden's presidency. Trump said Jenkins 'doesn't deserve to spend a single day in jail'. Trump also criticized the judge who oversaw the case, alleging that Jenkins was prevented from presenting 'evidence to support himself' and was 'shut down' during proceedings. After his conviction, Jenkins reportedly appealed directly to the Trump administration for clemency. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Jenkins has become only the latest person to receive a pardon from Trump about fourth months into his second presidency. On Trump's first day in office, he pardoned or commuted the punishments of about 1,500 people involved in the January 6 2021 attack on Congress, including some convicted of violent offenses. Since then, Trump has also issued pardons to others such as Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the illegal online drug marketplace the Silk Road; and former Democratic Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted of federal corruption charges, including attempting to sell an appointment to the US senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama's ascent to the presidency in 2009. In March, Trump pardoned three co-founders of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, who pleaded guilty in 2022 to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
New York Times
6 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Trump Pardons Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted of Bribery
President Trump has issued a pardon to a former sheriff of Culpeper County, Va., who was convicted in federal court last year of bribery and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The president blamed the Biden administration for what he called a vindictive prosecution. The pardon for Scott Jenkins, a prominent local supporter of the president who is also an advocate for gun rights, is the latest example of Mr. Trump's use of clemency for his supporters who were convicted in federal court. Mr. Jenkins and his family were 'dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized' Justice Department, Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. Mr. Jenkins accepted $75,000 in bribes in the form of campaign contributions from several businessmen in exchange for making them auxiliary deputy sheriffs in his department, the U.S. attorney's office in the Western District of Virginia said. He was convicted in 2024 of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. The men who paid the bribes received badges and credentials even though they were not vetted or trained as sheriffs, the attorney's office said in a statement. Mr. Jenkins, who presents himself on his personal website as a defender of Second Amendment rights, was first elected sheriff in 2011. He was voted out in 2023 amid the bribery case, convicted last December and sentenced in March. 'He will NOT be going to jail tomorrow, but instead will have a wonderful and productive life,' said Mr. Trump, who issued a full and unconditional pardon. The pardon is consistent with Mr. Trump's commitment to undo what he views as the politicized application of justice by his predecessor. To that end, the administration has set up a team of appointees focusing on clemency grants. In the largest such example, Mr. Trump in January granted clemency to all of the nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Critics of Mr. Trump argue that he has ignored the screening and guidelines of the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney in his clemency grants. Some critics say Mr. Biden also ignored the guidelines when he issued a sweeping pardon in December for his son Hunter and other family members, having repeatedly said he would not do so.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
President Donald Trump pardons former Virginia sheriff Scott Jenkins convicted of fraud and bribery
US President Donald Trump has issued a pardon to a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted on fraud and bribery charges. A jury found former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins guilty of accepting more than $75,000 (£55,000) in bribes last December, in exchange for making several businessmen into law enforcement officers without them being a long-time supporter of Trump, was sentenced in March to 10 years in prison. He was set to report to jail on Tuesday, but due to Trump's pardon, he will not spend a single day behind bars."Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said Jenkins was the "victim of an overzealous Biden Department of Justice". The judge who presided over Jenkins's case, Robert Ballou, was appointed by former President Joe Biden, but it was a jury called Jenkins a "wonderful person" who was persecuted by "Radical Left monsters" and "left for dead". Jenkins was found guilty of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud and seven counts of bribery concerning programmes receiving federal said he accepted bribes from eight people, including two undercover FBI agents. These were in the form of cash and campaign contributions. Jenkins's position was an elected one. The men who bribed Jenkins paid for auxiliary deputy sheriff positions so they could avoid traffic tickets and carry concealed firearms without a permit, the prosecutors auxiliary deputy sheriffs are volunteer positions, they can have law-enforcement powers equivalent to those of paid officers. Trump said Jenkins tried to offer evidence in his defence, but Judge Ballou "refused to allow it, shut him down, and then went on a tirade".The acting US attorney for Virginia said at the time of Jenkins's sentencing that the ex-sheriff violated his oath of office. He said the case proved that officials who used their positions for "unjust personal enrichment" would be held Jenkins appealed to Trump for help after his conviction. "I believe if he heard the information, I know he would help if he knew my story," he reportedly said in April on a webinar hosted by the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers was elected sheriff of Culpeper County in 2011 and took office in January 2012. He was re-elected in 2015 and 2019. The former policeman is the latest in a long line of Trump supporters to receive a pardon. In January, the president issued almost 1,600 pardons or commutations to people charged over the 2021 US Capitol riots. The US Constitution says that a president has the "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".A pardon represents legal forgiveness, ends any further punishment and restores rights such as being able to vote or run for public office.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
Update: Date: 2025-05-27T09:34:40.000Z Title: Trump announces full pardon for Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery Content: Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. I'm Tom Ambrose and I will be bringing you all the latest news lines over the coming hours. We start with the news that Donald Trump has issued a pardon for a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted last year of federal bribery charges. Scott Jenkins, who had been the sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was set to report to jail on Tuesday after he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Jenkins was convicted by a jury in December 2024 for accepting more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs. In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump wrote: Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ. He said Jenkins was a 'victim of an overzealous Biden Department of Justice' and a 'wonderful person', adding: He will NOT be going to jail tomorrow, but instead will have a wonderful and productive life. More on that as we get it today. Meanwhile, in other news: Donald Trump used the traditional presidential Memorial Day speech at Arlington national cemetery to talk up his own plans and achievements. The president laid a wreath and paid tribute to fallen soldiers but also veered off into rally-style personal boasting and brief partisan attacks during the solemn event. EU leaders expressed hopes for a quick deal to resolve the trade war with the US after Trump announced he was delaying his threatened 50% tariffs for the bloc until 9 July. The US president said on Sunday he would pause the border tax due to be imposed on 1 June, which he had announced two days earlier, after what he called a 'very nice call' with European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Trump issued a pardon for a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted last year of federal bribery charges. Scott Jenkins, who had been the sheriff of Culpeper county, Virginia, was set to report to jail on Tuesday after he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for accepting more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs. Trump also said he is considering taking a further $3bn of grant money away from Harvard University and giving it to trade schools across the US. Former president of Harvard and current professor Drew Gilpin Faust warned that American freedoms and democracy were at risk. Trump suggested Russian leader Vladimir Putin had 'gone crazy' after Moscow launched its third consecutive night of massive drone strikes against Ukraine, killing at least six people. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump railed against Putin while also criticising the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for calling out US inaction against Russia. Former congressman Charles Rangel of New York died on Monday at the age of 94. An outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat who spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill, Rangel was a founding member of the Congressional Black caucus and the first African American to chair the powerful House ways and means committee. The FBI will launch new investigations into the 2023 discovery of a bag of cocaine at the White House during Joe Biden's term, and the leak of the supreme court's draft opinion overturning Roe v Wade in 2022. The FBI will also investigate pipe bombs discovered at Democratic and Republican party headquarters before the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. The Trump family media company plans to raise about $3bn to spend on cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, according to a Financial Times report. The Trump Media & Technology Group, which is behind the Truth Social app and controlled by the president's family, aims to raise $2bn in fresh equity and another $1bn via a convertible bond, the paper said, citing sources.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who is Scott Jenkins? What to know about the ex-sheriff Trump pardoned
President Trump granted another pardon on Monday for a former official he claimed was the victim of a 'weaponized' Justice Department (DOJ) during the Biden administration, granting clemency to former Sheriff Scott Jenkins. Jenkins served as the sheriff of Culpeper County in northern Virginia for a decade but lost his reelection bid in 2023 amid the charges he was facing and eventually was convicted on bribery charges. He was about to report to prison for a 10-year sentence before being pardoned. Here's what to know about Jenkins: Jenkins served as the county sheriff for 12 years, first being elected in 2011 and winning reelection twice, running as both a Republican and independent. But he lost his reelection bid in November 2023, less than five months after he was indicted. He came in third place in the race, losing to now-Sheriff Timothy Chilton, who was serving as the deputy chief of the Culpeper Police Department. Chilton said at the time that he avoided discussing the details of the allegations against Jenkins during the campaign but wanted to focus on regaining the trust of the community and change the office's culture. One prominent moment during Jenkins's tenure came in 2019 when he announced plans to deputize the county's residents if the Democratic-controlled legislature passed 'further unnecessary gun restrictions.' 'I plan to properly screen and deputize thousands of our law-abiding citizens to protect their constitutional right to own firearms,' he said. Chilton has ended that program since taking office. Jenkins was indicted in June 2023 based on allegations that he accepted more than $70,000 in bribes in the form of cash or campaign contributions from more than a half dozen, including two undercover FBI agents. Prosecutors alleged that Jenkins appointed these men as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, giving them badges and credentials despite them not being trained or vetted and not offering services to the sheriff's office. They also accused him of pressuring local officials in the case of one man, a convicted felon, to restore his right to own a firearm. That man and the two undercover FBI agents testified against Jenkins, saying that they gave the then-sheriff bribes in exchange for being deputized. Jenkins took the stand in his own defense and argued that the payments he received and the badges he provided had no connection. The Washington Post reported at the time that Jenkins's defense attorney argued prosecutors had 'no credible evidence' of bribery and Jenkins 'came up with creative ideas' to get around gun control laws that the state legislature passed. The attorney said the money that Jenkins received were legitimate political donations. Three of the six men who were appointed as auxiliary deputy sheriffs pleaded guilty ahead of Jenkins's trial and cooperated with authorities. Jenkins was convicted on all counts that he faced in December, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services mail and wire fraud and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving public funds. He was sentenced to a decade in prison in March. Trump has been eager throughout his second term to grant pardons and commutations to individuals he sees as in the same situation as himself, as victims of a 'weaponized' DOJ under former President Biden. Trump regularly accused prosecutors in different jurisdictions of pursing politically motivated prosecutions, as he was indicted four times during his 2024 presidential election campaign. He cited similar allegations in his post on Truth Social announcing his decision to pardon Jenkins. 'Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ,' he said. He alleged that the judge in the case, appointed by Biden, treated Jenkins unfairly in refusing to accept evidence that Jenkins offered to exonerate himself. Jenkins reportedly asked for clemency last month from Trump, saying during a webinar that he didn't have the money for an appeal of the verdict and believed Trump would step in if he heard the evidence that he wasn't able to share in front of the jury. Trump has also issued pardons for others he's argued were the targets of politically motivated cases, notably most of those convicted of crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Those who did not receive pardons receive commutations of their sentences. His pardon of Jenkins also falls in line with others he has issued for those of high-profile individuals who have expressed similar conservative-leaning political views to him, like conservative commentators Dinesh D'Souza during his first term and Michele Fiore, also a former Las Vegas City Council member, during his second term. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
