"A nonprofit watchdog legal group has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) alleging that a billionaire whom President Donald Trump pardoned made illegal straw donations to a Trump-aligned super PAC The complaint filed earlier this week by the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) requests the FEC to open an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding donations to a group called MAGA Inc. It also alleges that the donations were made for the sole purpose of obtaining a pardon from Trump."
"Venezuelan billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini was indicted in 2022 for violating federal bribery laws related to illegal donations he made to a candidate in Puerto Rico's gubernatorial elections. After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Velutini's daughter, Isabela Herrera, began making donations to MAGA Inc. Notably, Velutini, a Venezuelan national, cannot legally make political donations like these himself. And the 25-year-old Herrera, whose donations totaled around $3.5 million from December 2024 to July 2025, is not independently wealthy, the complaint stated."
A nonprofit watchdog legal group asked the Federal Elections Commission to investigate donations to MAGA Inc., alleging those contributions aimed to secure a presidential pardon. Venezuelan billionaire Julio Herrera Velutini faced a 2022 indictment for illegal donations tied to Puerto Rico. After a 2024 pardon, Velutini's daughter, Isabela Herrera, donated roughly $3.5 million to MAGA Inc. between December 2024 and July 2025 despite lacking independent wealth or apparent political interest. Velutini, as a Venezuelan national, cannot legally make U.S. political contributions. The filings characterize the transfers as straw donations intended to obtain favorable treatment.
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