In a significant exercise of executive power, former and current President Donald Trump granted clemency to 21 individuals on Thursday, 15 January 2026. The actions included 13 full pardons and eight sentence commutations, continuing a pattern from his first term that has drawn scrutiny for its focus on cases once championed by federal prosecutors.
A Controversial Second Chance for Florida Fraudster
Among the most notable recipients was Adriana Camberos, a Florida woman convicted of fraud, who received a full presidential pardon. This marks the second time Trump has intervened in her legal fate. During the final days of his first presidency in 2021, he commuted her initial prison sentence.
Her first conviction was part of a scheme to divert 5-Hour Energy drink bottles intended for resale in Mexico, keeping them in the US instead. Prosecutors detailed how Camberos and accomplices applied counterfeit labels and filled bottles with a fake liquid before selling them.
Despite the earlier clemency, Camberos and her brother, Andres, were convicted again in 2024 in a separate fraud case. This scheme involved lying to manufacturers to obtain wholesale groceries and other items at large discounts by falsely claiming they were for export to Mexico or for prisons and rehabilitation facilities. The siblings then sold the products at higher prices to distributors within the United States.
High-Profile Names Among the Pardoned
The list of pardons extended beyond Camberos and included several prominent figures. Wanda Vázquez, the former governor of Puerto Rico, received a pardon after pleading guilty to a campaign finance violation. Another pardon went to the father of a major donor to a pro-Trump super PAC, highlighting the political dimensions often associated with such executive actions.
On Friday, an additional pardon was announced for Terren Peizer, a resident of both Puerto Rico and California who led the Miami-based healthcare firm Ontrak. Peizer had been convicted and sentenced to 42 months in prison, alongside a $5.25 million fine, for insider trading. The US Justice Department stated his scheme was designed to avoid losses exceeding $12.5 million.
Eroding Guardrails in the Justice System
This flurry of clemency orders forms part of a broader trend during the first year of Trump's second term. The administration has targeted numerous criminal cases that were once touted as successes by federal prosecutors. These actions coincide with a sustained effort to weaken public integrity safeguards.
A pivotal move in this campaign was the firing of the Justice Department's pardon attorney, a key official who traditionally reviews clemency petitions for propriety and adherence to legal norms. This dismissal has raised concerns about the erosion of institutional checks on the presidential pardon power.
The latest batch of pardons and commutations underscores the enduring controversy surrounding this unfettered executive privilege, sparking fresh debate about accountability, political influence, and the rule of law in the American justice system.
