A bombshell report from The New York Times sent shockwaves through the political world on Wednesday, alleging that a Venezuelan billionaire was pardoned by President Donald Trump after paying $50 million to Alina Habba, the president’s former attorney.
According to the Times, the family of Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan-Italian businessman, brought on Habba under a four-year agreement that guaranteed her $10 million per year, along with bonuses.
Herrera had pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor campaign finance violation after he was accused of attempting to bribe the governor of Puerto Rico in 2022.
At the time of the deal, Habba was serving as an adviser at the Justice Department and as a senior adviser to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi. She was reportedly hired to work at Concord Partners, a mysterious company the Herrera family established just days before Habba signed the agreement.
Just weeks after the deal was struck, Herrera received his pardon.
Habba, who reportedly maintained an office at the Justice Department during that period, has denied playing any role in the pardon.
The explosive report left many observers stunned. Meanwhile, frequent critics of the Trump administration seized on the story, pointing to it as the latest example of what they see as corruption.
Among them was Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor, who blasted Habba in a post on X.
“Alina Habba was an advisor to the Attorney General, was interim US Attorney in New Jersey, and all the while was negotiating a massive bribe to get a Venezuelan billionaire a pardon,” Vietor wrote.
The Times report is not the only controversy tied to the White House in which Habba has recently found herself at the center.
According to the Times and Axios, Habba accused Trump adviser Ric Grenell of taking $5 million from her husband as a donation to the Kennedy Center but never actually depositing the money.
Grenell has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
The behind-the-scenes clash between the two high-profile Trump allies has drawn significant attention, with insiders describing the drama as the “ultimate MAGA blood feud.”
The latest allegations regarding the Herrera pardon are likely to intensify scrutiny of Habba, who has held several prominent roles connected to the administration, including her time as an adviser at the Justice Department and her service as interim U.S. attorney in New Jersey, as noted by Vietor.
Key details of the arrangement described in the report, including the creation of Concord Partners only days before Habba signed on and the timing of the pardon just weeks later, are expected to remain at the heart of the debate surrounding the case.
For her part, Habba has maintained that she had no involvement in the decision to pardon Herrera.
The report adds yet another chapter to a string of controversies surrounding Habba, as she now faces questions on two separate fronts: the Herrera pardon and her ongoing dispute with Grenell over the missing Kennedy Center funds.
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