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Trevor Milton was founder and CEO of an electric truck startup, Nikola. Milton lied about creating an electric truck, the technology used, and the purchase orders. When Milton claimed the prototype was "fully functional and works", it was missing basic car parts like gears or a motor. He was convicted of four counts of fraud for lying to the public to induce retail investors to buy Nikola stock.

Milton was represented by Brad Bondi, the brother of Trump's US Attorney General Pam Bondi. He also donated more than $1.8M to Trump's campaign after his conviction. Milton's full pardon also prevented shareholders from seeking $661 million in restitution.

References

• Trevor Milton Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Securities Fraud Scheme (justice.gov)
• Convicted of bilking investors, Nikola founder and Trump donor gets a presidential pardon (apnews.com)