On March 25, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a full pardon to Devon Archer, who had previously been convicted in a fraud case involving a Native American tribe. Archer, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, became a subject of political attention due to his connection to Republican-led investigations into the Biden family’s business activities.
Archer had been convicted in 2018 in a case involving the misrepresentation and sale of tribal bonds. Prosecutors alleged that he and others issued more than $60 million in bonds that were ultimately used for personal benefit rather than for the tribe’s economic development. Though his conviction was overturned in 2019, it was later reinstated, and Archer was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, along with a restitution order of over $43 million.
In a statement before signing the pardon, President Trump said that Archer had been “treated very unfairly” and described him as someone who had become caught in the middle of broader political and legal disputes. White House officials said the decision to pardon Archer was also influenced by his cooperation with congressional inquiries.
Archer’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee in 2023 brought renewed focus to his business relationship with Hunter Biden. He told lawmakers that Hunter would occasionally put his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, on speakerphone during meetings with business contacts. However, Archer said he did not witness any improper conduct or direct involvement from Joe Biden in business decisions.
The pardon has prompted mixed reactions. Supporters of the decision say Archer had been unfairly targeted because of his ties to a politically charged investigation. Critics argue the pardon was intended to further a political narrative while downplaying the seriousness of the financial wrongdoing.
Archer has continued to maintain that he was not involved in criminal conduct and described himself as a victim of others’ actions. He stated that he had invested his own money into the venture and did not benefit from the scheme.
The case and its aftermath have added fuel to ongoing debates over the use of presidential pardons and the influence of politics on the justice system. As Archer awaits possible resentencing or further legal developments, the pardon marks a new chapter in a case that has drawn attention from both legal observers and political figures.
Image is in the public domain and was created by the Office of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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