A Venezuelan businessman facing legal trouble sought a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. Julio Herrera Velutini’s family made a striking move to help secure it. His daughter offered Alina Habba, a lawyer close to the president, a highly lucrative job.
The position came with a $50 million deal, according to reporting on the arrangement. The offer surfaced while Herrera Velutini was pursuing clemency. Habba has served as a legal adviser and public defender of Trump.
Herrera Velutini is a prominent figure in Venezuelan finance. He was seeking relief from U.S. legal pressure when the job offer emerged. The timing drew attention because of Habba’s proximity to the president.
Clemency came not long after the job deal was extended. The sequence has raised questions about the relationship between business offers and access to presidential power. No public evidence has directly linked the job to the pardon itself.
Habba’s role in Trump’s orbit has grown in recent years. She has represented him in court and appeared frequently in his defense. Her acceptance of the offer placed her at the center of an unusual intersection of law, politics, and money.
The deal’s size stands out even in a world of high-stakes legal and political maneuvering. A $50 million package is rare for a single legal or advisory role. Its timing near a clemency request makes it more noteworthy.
Federal pardon rules prohibit candidates from offering money or gifts in exchange for clemency. Investigators and watchdogs often scrutinize cases where personal benefits coincide with executive action. The Herrera Velutini case now sits within that broader scrutiny.
The White House has not publicly detailed the reasoning behind the pardon. Habba has not commented on the specifics of the job offer. The case continues to draw attention from those tracking influence and ethics in Washington.
