US President Donald Trump has granted a pardon to Joe Lewis, the British billionaire who pleaded guilty last year to federal insider trading charges.
Lewis, whose family remains the controlling shareholder of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, was indicted in 2023 for allegedly exploiting his access to corporate boardrooms and sharing inside information with associates, romantic partners, private pilots, and others over several years.
A White House official told NBC News Thursday that “Mr. Lewis admitted he made a terrible mistake, did not fight extradition, and paid a $5 million fine.” The statement added that the 88-year-old Lewis, now residing in the Bahamas, “requested a pardon so that he may receive medical treatment and visit his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the United States.” Forbes estimates his net worth at $6.9 billion.
In a statement, Lewis said: “I am pleased all of this is now behind me, and I can enjoy retirement and watch as my family and extended family continue to build our businesses based on the quality and pursuit of excellence that has become our trademark.” A source close to the family expressed gratitude, saying the Lewis family “are extremely grateful for this pardon and would like to thank President Trump for taking this action.”
Trump recently resumed issuing pardons after a temporary pause to review concerns that the process had become a lucrative opportunity for lobbying and consulting firms. Earlier this week, he pardoned his former attorney Rudy Giuliani and 76 others linked to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including attorneys Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Kenneth Chesebro, and former chief of staff Mark Meadows. These pardons are largely symbolic, as none of the individuals had been convicted of federal crimes.
Last month, Trump also commuted the sentence of former Rep. George Santos, who had been set to serve seven years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
