Record at a Glance
- Clemency type
- Pardon
- Presidential term
- 2017–2021
- Federal district
- District of Columbia
- Offense
- Conspiracy to serve as an unregistered agent of a foreign principal
- Sentence
- N/A
- Current status
- Broidy’s official website identifies him as chairman and chief executive officer of Broidy Capital Holdings, co-founder and chief executive officer of LEO Technologies, and a Cynapse.ai board member. This is a first-party professional-status source, not an independent legal-status finding.
Background
On October 20, 2020 Broidy pleaded guilty to one conspiracy count under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. DOJ described concealed foreign-paid lobbying to end the 1MDB investigation and remove a Chinese government critic from the United States. The pardon preceded sentencing.
Original Case
In D.D.C. No. 1:20-cr-210, Broidy pleaded guilty October 20, 2020 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. DOJ described back-channel lobbying directed at the President, Attorney General, and other officials on behalf of foreign interests; the warrant identifies 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 981(a)(1)(C), and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c). He had not been sentenced when pardoned.
Clemency
Trump granted Broidy a full and unconditional pardon on January 19, 2021, after his guilty plea but before sentencing. The grant prevented the court from imposing punishment in the covered foreign-lobbying case; it did not withdraw the plea or amount to a judicial finding of innocence.
Trump Connection
Broidy was a major Republican fundraiser and served as deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee after Trump’s election. His criminal case itself involved an effort to influence Trump-administration officials on behalf of foreign interests. The White House cited support from Representative Devin Nunes and others and described Broidy’s philanthropic work. Those roles placed him close to the administration, while the cited sources do not tie a payment or political favor to the pardon.
Sources
- Primary Documentation
DOJ: Pardons Granted by President Donald J. Trump (2017–2021)U.S. Department of Justice2026-09-24 - Primary Documentation
DOJ clemency document: Elliott BroidyU.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney2026-09-24 active - Primary Documentation
White House clemency announcementArchived White House - Primary Documentation
DOJ annual report describing Broidy pleaDOJ - Primary Documentation
DOJ case summary, United States v. Elliott BroidyU.S. Department of Justice - Primary Documentation
Signed executive grant of clemency, January 19, 2021DOJ / President of the United States - Supporting Reporting
Broidy official websiteElliott Broidy official website