Trump issues final pardons

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Donald Trump, in the waning hours of his presidency, pardoned a long list of people and commuted the sentence of others, including several from Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Here’s a look at a few individuals with local ties who received a parting gift from Trump:

  • Gary Evan Hendler: A Philadelphia native, he was convicted of drug charges in 1984 but has since turned his life around. He owns a successful real estate business, has led Alcoholic Anonymous for nearly 40 years and hosts a radio show focused on sobriety.
  • Dr. Frederick Nahas: A surgeon from Atlantic County, New Jersey, he refused to cooperate with an investigation into billing fraud. Though the probe uncovered no wrongdoing, he pled guilty to obstruction of justice and spent one month in prison in 2003. His pardon was backed by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
  • Eliyahu Weinstein: Trump commuted Weinstein’s sentence. The Lakewood, New Jersey, man has been serving a 24-year prison term for real estate fraud. He oversaw a $200 million ponzi scheme, according to NJ.com, though he has an “exemplary prison history,” the White House said.
  • George Gilmore: Trump pardoned Gilmore, the former head of the Ocean County Republican Party. He was convicted for failure to pay payroll taxes and lying to authorities.
  • Salomon Melgen: A New Jersey doctor who was found guilty of healthcare fraud, his sentence was commuted by Trump.