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Carlos Watson’s Prison Break

How Carlos Watson, with help from Donald Trump and his “pardon czar,” remade himself as the victim of his own $100 million fraud.

carlos watson
Watson was a convicted felon who sought to defraud creditors and investors in his company. He caught a break because his case came to the attention of Trump’s “pardon czar.” Photo: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg/Getty Images
William D. Cohan
April 2, 2025

As has become all too apparent, President Trump is pardon-happy—flexing his extraordinary powers on a near daily basis to mete out punishment or mercy. The pardons, in particular, seem to be motivated less by righting perceived injustices than by taking actions that own the libs. No other president in modern memory has so delighted in reversing the convictions of high-profile prisoners, or sanctioning law firms that he perceives as enemies, especially if it sends the message that the justice system is corrupt.