Overview

• Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola, was convicted in 2022 of securities and wire fraud for misleading investors about the company's technology.
• President Donald Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon to Milton on March 28, 2025, nullifying his four-year prison sentence and restitution obligations.
• Milton and his wife donated over $1.8 million to pro-Trump political committees in late 2024, raising questions about the motivations behind the pardon.
• Nikola, once valued at $30 billion, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2025, with liabilities estimated between $1 billion and $10 billion.
• Critics argue the pardon undermines trust in the justice system, while Milton and Trump claim it addresses systemic injustices.