Habba Rejects Claim of $50M Deal for Venezuelan Billionaire’s Pardon

WHO:

TMZ - Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Alina Habba, denied reports that she helped secure a pardon for Venezuelan billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini.

Alternet - Herrera is a Venezuelan billionaire banker from a prominent Venezuelan family.

Alternet - Herrera’s daughter, Isabela Herrera, is 27, is an American citizen, and donated $3.5 million to a super PAC tied to Trump.

Alternet - Herrera’s lawyer, Christopher M. Kise, was Florida’s former solicitor general and a member of Trump’s personal legal team.

Alternet - Habba was one of Trump’s personal lawyers and was serving as an adviser at the Justice Department when the Herrera family hired her.

Alternet - Habba said her employment with Herrera was disclosed to and approved by the Justice Department. She said she was a “special government employee” when she signed the contract.

Alternet - Attorney General Pam Bondi was Habba’s superior while Habba served as a senior adviser; Habba had a Justice Department office and security detail.

Alternet - Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez, Kise, and a former FBI agent also pleaded guilty to misdemeanors in connection with the case; Alternet says all three were pardoned along with Herrera.

WHAT:

TMZ - Habba responded on X, writing, “If the New York Times simply went back and looked at their…”; the quoted statement is incomplete in the article excerpt.

Alternet - The New York Times reported that Herrera sought clemency from Trump and received a full and unconditional pardon after the Herrera family hired Habba.

Alternet - Herrera’s contract offered Habba $10 million annually for four years, plus bonuses; the total guaranteed compensation, including bonuses, exceeded $50 million over four years.

Alternet - Habba was to become general counsel at Concord Partners, a company founded by Herrera. The company’s business was unclear, including to some people associated with Herrera’s business empire.

Alternet - People familiar with Habba’s contract believed she was brought in to help Herrera pursue a pardon and expressed surprise at the compensation.

Alternet - Herrera, Kise, Vázquez, and the former FBI agent were scheduled to be sentenced for misdemeanor charges before Trump pardoned them.

WHERE:

Alternet - Concord Partners was registered in Florida.

Alternet - The alleged bribery scheme involved Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez and a regulator investigating Herrera’s bank.

WHEN:

Alternet - Herrera struck a plea deal in August 2025, pleading to a misdemeanor campaign finance violation.

Alternet - Concord Partners was founded in late 2025, and Habba finalized her contract days after the company was registered.

Alternet - Habba formally began working for Concord Partners on Jan. 1; Trump granted Herrera a pardon weeks later. The article does not specify the year for Jan. 1.

Alternet - Herrera was charged in 2022 over his alleged role in a scheme to bribe Vázquez.

WHY:

Alternet - Herrera reportedly sought a pardon because he considered the reduced misdemeanor charge a stain on his record.

Alternet - The reported timing of Habba’s contract and Herrera’s pardon raised questions about how the pardon was secured and who might have helped.

HOW:

Alternet - Herrera’s plea deal reduced felony bribery charges to a misdemeanor campaign finance violation.

Alternet - Kise helped arrange a plea for clemency; Isabela Herrera made a $3.5 million donation to a Trump-tied super PAC.

Alternet - Habba said special-government-employee status allowed federal service for up to 130 days while retaining outside employment, subject to conflict-of-interest restrictions.

(UPDATED October 21, 2026 18:20 UTC)

Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Alina Habba, denies helping Venezuelan billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini secure a pardon. The New York Times reported that Herrera received a full, unconditional pardon after his family hired Habba, who was then a Justice Department adviser. Habba said her outside employment was disclosed to and approved by the department, and that she was a special government employee when she signed the contract. The reported deal offered her more than $50 million over four years to become general counsel at Concord Partners, a Florida-registered company founded by Herrera. Herrera had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor campaign-finance violation after felony bribery charges tied to an alleged scheme involving Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez. Herrera, Vázquez, Habba’s lawyer Christopher Kise, and a former FBI agent were pardoned. Kise helped arrange clemency, while Herrera’s daughter donated $3.5 million to a Trump-tied super PAC.