Trump’s pardon of Michele Fiore saved her from paying $70K in restitution, attorneys say

President Donald Trump saved Michele Fiore from having to pay restitution to the people she was found guilty of defrauding and facing the government’s pursuit of her assets when he pardoned her on April 23, according to experts.

A federal jury found Fiore, a former Las Vegas councilwoman, guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy charges in October. Federal prosecutors said she raised more than $70,000 for a statue intended to honor Metropolitan Police Department officer Alyn Beck, who was shot and killed in 2014 along with his partner.

The statue was built, but paid for by developer Olympia Companies, trial testimony showed. Prosecutors said Fiore spent the money she raised on rent, plastic surgery and her daughter’s wedding.

The full and unconditional pardon Fiore received was unusual, experts have said, because Fiore had not yet been sentenced and has not shown remorse from the crimes she was found guilty of committing. Fiore said in a text message that she maintains her innocence.

Trump has been more willing than other presidents to pardon offenders before they’ve made restitution, said Michigan State University law professor Brian Kalt.

“He is definitely doing much more pre-emptive pardoning than we’ve seen in the recent past,” said Kalt.

He added: “If he thinks that this person deserves to get off scot-free, then he’s going to let them get off scot-free.”

Expert claims large-scale debt relief

Fiore’s pardon has caught the attention of former Justice Department Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer, who said in an Instagram post last month that Trump’s pardons have given individuals and companies debt relief of more than $1 billion, including fines, restitution and asset forfeiture.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Oyer, who said she was fired in March after she would not approve restoring Mel Gibson’s gun rights, estimated Fiore would have owed $70,000 in restitution before Trump’s pardon wiped the debt.

Other beneficiaries of Trump’s pardons have been forgiven much larger sums of money based on Oyer’s calculations.

Ross Ulbricht, founder of the dark web site Silk Road, had been ordered to forfeit over $183 million and Trevor Milton had defrauded electric vehicle investors of more than $660 million, according to Oyer.

A Justice Department spokesperson said Oyer’s public narrative about her firing was wrong.

“This former employee’s version of events is false — her decision to voice this erroneous accusation about her dismissal is in direct violation of her ethical duties as an attorney and is a shameful distraction from our critical mission to prosecute violent crime, enforce our nation’s immigration laws and make America safe again,” the spokesperson said.

Oyer instructs journalists to message her over Substack, but she did not respond to a request for comment.

Restitution was likely for Fiore

Fiore seemed bothered by the question of how much restitution she might have owed.

“A jury came back with a verdict under lies and deception by the DOJ,” she said in a text message. “There’s no what if.”

“Isn’t there anything else in the news?” asked attorney Kristina Wildeveld, who represented Fiore in the pardon process, when reached for comment. Wildeveld questioned whether there was proof Fiore owed anything.

But the issue of repayment has come up in Fiore’s ongoing judicial discipline case as she fights a decision to suspend her from her post-council position as a Pahrump justice of the peace.

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline wrote in a May 19 suspension order that after becoming a judge, Fiore had “continued to defraud the donors by keeping donations to which she was not entitled and continued to fail to notify them she used their funds for personal expenses instead of for the statue.”

Jess Marchese, a defense lawyer who practices in federal and state court, said there is “no chance” Fiore would not have been ordered to pay restitution.

Frank Coumou, a former federal and state prosecutor, said it was clear Fiore would have been ordered to pay restitution.

“A jury determined beyond a reasonable doubt she stole this money from innocent donors,” he said.

But after a pardon, Coumou said, there is no way to force someone to pay restitution.

Fiore defense attorney Paola Armeni said the probation office recommended Fiore pay restitution and agreed U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey, who was supposed to sentence Fiore, would have likely ordered it, but would have no authority to do so now.

Donor opinions differ

Armeni said she trusts Trump is looking at the circumstances of a case and weighing his decision before pardoning someone. Had the FBI not approached them, she said she was not sure those who donated for the statue, who were largely Fiore supporters, would have raised concerns.

“Nobody ever complained and nobody ever asked for their money back,” she said.

Longtime strip club owner Harry Mohney, who gave $2,000 for the Beck statue, said he was not aware Fiore received a pardon before a reporter called.

“That seems entirely unfair to all the people that made donations for a purpose that was for the benefit of the city,” he said of the pardon.

He said he was not a supporter of Fiore and thinks she should be required to reimburse donors.

“Ask if he’s going to send our money back, too,” he said.

Attorney David Chesnoff, who donated $5,000, was less concerned.

“I was pleased to donate towards the memorial for the slain officers and I’m pleased the project was completed,” he said. “And my receiving restitution at this point is really immaterial to me because the memorial was built.”

Other donors declined to comment or could not be reached for comment.

Donations from Chesnoff and Mohney did not lead to charges against Fiore. Dorsey noted in a decision that neither man could recall who asked them for money, but they did not think it was Fiore.

How restitution works

Coumou said the federal restitution system is similar to the way restitution works on the state level.

The federal probation office determines what the restitution should be and the sentencing judge orders it paid, he said. The payments are made to the probation office, which doles them out to crime victims, according to Coumou.

He said Fiore could have also been ordered to pay back people like Mohney and Chesnoff, whose donations were not the basis for actual charges against her, but who gave money to the statue scheme.

Normally, Marchese said, restitution is the “least of worries” for a defendant.

It can actually be a tool for a defense attorney to persuade a judge to give less prison time, according to Marchese. If a defendant is out of custody, they can earn money to pay back victims.

Most defendants are indigent, so their restitution payments are generally on pause until they are released from prison, he said.

Defense attorney Robert Draskovich said restitution is often a condition of supervised release and defendants are frequently forced to give up 10 percent of their income to make the payments.

When probation ends, Marchese said, federal authorities turn the remaining restitution into a judgment that they can then try to collect civilly.

Coumou said the U.S. attorney’s office can garnish someone’s wages if they don’t make restitution payments.

After former Family Court Judge Steven Jones cheated victims of an investment scheme out of $2.9 million, Dorsey — the same judge who oversaw Fiore’s case — gave federal prosecutors permission to garnish 25 percent of his public pension, which was about $10,000 a month.

Defendants can also face asset forfeiture.

In a recent case, Marchese said he had a client who had laundered money and sold drugs. Although the defendant was not required to pay restitution, federal authorities pursued his house, which they are currently selling, according to Marchese.

Fiore’s indictment included a section demanding she forfeit property “traceable to the wire fraud offenses” or substitute property.

Armeni said prosecutors might have needed to have a separate hearing if they chose to pursue forfeiture.

Like Oyer, Draskovich thinks Trump’s pardons are resulting in a loss of restitution payments.

“It’s curious,” Draskovich said. “And obviously, these pardons seem to be affiliated with their party standing and their support of him.”

Marchese thinks it’s “offensive” Fiore will not have to pay restitution.

“It’s gross,” he said. “You need to be held accountable.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Noble Brigham at [email protected]. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.