Venture capitalist and political donor

Imaad Zuberi

a.k.a. “Twice Commuted”

He gave $900,000 to Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee through his company. Later he was sentenced to 12 years for illegal foreign lobbying, tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and obstructing the investigation into that same inaugural donation. His sentence was commuted twice.

Rap sheet

Convicted of: Foreign Agents Registration Act violations; tax evasion; foreign and conduit campaign contributions; obstruction of justice [1]
Court: Central District of California [1]
Sentenced: February 18, 2021: 144 months; $1,750,000 fine; $15,705,080.11 restitution [1]
Granted: Commutations on May 28, 2025 and again on October 1, 2025 [2][3]

The receipt

PARDONMAXXING IMAAD ZUBERI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Money on the table (reported)

To Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee [4][5] $900,000

Wiped off the books

Prison [2] Remainder of a 12-year sentence

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thank you for your business
No refunds · No questions

Gold is money that was reportedly spent near the President’s orbit. Red is what the grant wiped away. We list what was reported and when. We don’t claim one caused the other. How we count.

Timeline

December 2016 The money Gives $900,000 to the inaugural committee through his company. [4]
February 18, 2021 The law Sentenced to 12 years. [1][5]
May 28, 2025 The pardon Sentence commuted. [2]
October 1, 2025 The pardon Commuted again. [3]

Detective’s notes

Commentary

He obstructed the investigation into his donation to the inauguration. The inauguration’s guest of honor commuted his sentence. Twice. Some people just get a second helping.

According to Sri Lankan press, one of his victims was the government of Sri Lanka, which paid him $6.5 million for lobbying it says mostly never happened.

Sources

Clemency grants by President Donald J. Trump, 2025–present (archived Sept. 20, 2026) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney, via the Internet Archive
Signed clemency warrant: Imaad Zuberi U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney · May 28, 2025
Signed clemency warrant: Imaad Zuberi U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney · October 1, 2025
Trump commutes sentence for donor Imaad Zuberi The Hill · May 2025
Imaad Zuberi Wikipedia