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Presidential Clemency Record

Alexander Sittenfeld

Pardon

  /   2025–Present

Record at a Glance

Clemency type
Pardon
Presidential term
2025–Present
Federal district
Southern Ohio
Offense
Bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds; attempted extortion under color of official right
Sentence
16 months' imprisonment; one year's supervised release; $40,000 fine (October 10, 2023)
Current status
As of the August 24, 2026 district-court disposition, the indictment was dismissed with prejudice and the $40,000 fine was ordered returned after the Supreme Court vacated the appellate judgment and the case was remanded. This is case-specific post-pardon relief, not an automatic effect of every pardon.

Original Case

In United States v. Sittenfeld, No. 1:20-cr-142 (S.D. Ohio), a 2022 jury convicted former Cincinnati City Council member Alexander Sittenfeld of federal-program bribery and attempted extortion under color of official right, and acquitted him on the remaining counts. DOJ said the convictions involved $40,000 in campaign contributions from undercover FBI agents in exchange for promised support for a development project. He was sentenced October 10, 2023 to 16 months’ imprisonment, one year of supervised release, and a $40,000 fine.

Clemency

Trump granted Sittenfeld a full and unconditional pardon on May 28, 2025 after he had served the 16-month prison term. The pardon relieved the remaining federal consequences; later dismissal of the indictment and return of the fine resulted from separate post-pardon court proceedings in this particular case.

Trump Connection

Sittenfeld was a Democratic local official who had criticized Trump rather than a known political ally. He said he was surprised to receive clemency, and neither the White House nor Justice Department publicly identified an advocate or rationale. His case is therefore unusual within the set: the pardon is verified, but the public record does not explain the route to Trump’s decision. Later court relief arose from the case’s appellate posture, not from proof of a prior relationship.

Since Clemency

  • 2026-08-24 · criminal case disposition

    The district court dismissed Sittenfeld's indictment and ordered return of his $40,000 fine after further appellate proceedings.

    Legal Status: Case-specific post-pardon judicial relief; do not generalize this as automatic expungement for all pardons.

Sources

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