Pardon brokers offer to put pressure on the president, at sky-high costs

Reporting cited here

1. documented

   The Justice Department's clemency roster records Trump's November 14, 2025 pardon of Joseph Schwartz. The filing establishes the fee and advocacy; the timing does not by itself establish that Trump received the money or exchanged the pardon for it.

   Schwartz fee, sentence and pardon chronology

   Pardon broker reports $960,000 from Joseph Schwartz before Trump's pardon · Lobbying disclosed; Trump granted the pardon November 14, 2025

2. reported

   CBS News recorded Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl quoting Ammon Covino $300,000 and describing a campaign of events, influencers, members of Congress and White House contacts intended to put sustained pressure on Trump. Covino was working with CBS; he did not hire or pay them, and no pardon resulted from the recorded pitch.

   Hidden-camera setup and brokers' response

   Hidden camera records a $300,000 pardon-access pitch · Pitch recorded; Covino was acting with CBS and did not retain the brokers

3. reported

   Torence Hatch, known as Boosie Badazz, told 60 Minutes he paid Burkman and Wohl $600,000 up front after being led to believe the effort would obtain a pardon. Trump did not pardon him. CBS reported that Hatch filed an arbitration claim seeking a refund; Burkman said no final written agreement was signed, denied owing a refund, and he and Wohl denied sending cited text messages.

   Arbitration claim and brokers' responses

   Boosie Badazz reports paying $600,000 for a pardon effort that did not produce clemency · No pardon; refund dispute in arbitration

4. reported

   CBS News reported that about 70% of Trump's second-term clemency actions had not been routed through the Justice Department process, rising to 92% when January 6 cases were included. CBS also reported broker fees as high as $3 million and quoted Brett Tolman saying he expected to handle 40 or 50 clemency cases. The White House said it had a robust review process and that paying lobbyists was a waste of money; former pardon attorney Ed Martin said he had not seen a quid pro quo.

   DOJ-routing analysis, reported fee range, Tolman account and official responses

   CBS finds most second-term Trump clemency actions were not routed through the Justice Department · CBS analysis published; White House and former pardon attorney disputed a transactional system