Trump Denounces Ex-Lawyer's $50 Million Deal with Family of Pardoned Banker

US President Donald Trump has publicly criticized one of his former lawyers for entering into a contract exceeding $50 million with the family of a Venezuelan banker, a figure Trump later granted a presidential pardon. Alina Habba Mildon reportedly secured this substantial agreement while serving as a federal prosecutor and subsequently began representing the banker’s family, even while holding a position as an adviser to the US Department of Justice.

“I thought it was totally obnoxious and outrageous, and it’s not acceptable,” Trump stated to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Saturday. “Not acceptable at all,” he reiterated.

According to The New York Times, Habba Mildon finalized a four-year contract in October 2025 with Concord Partners, a company owned by the family of Julio Herrera Velutini. Velutini was seeking a presidential pardon and had been accused of bribing former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced to dismiss a financial regulator investigating his bank. He faced federal bribery charges in the US before reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors in August 2025.

Habba Mildon’s contract with the banker’s family company stipulated a compensation of over $50 million across four years, including an annual salary of $10 million and additional bonuses. At the time of signing the deal, Habba Mildon was the acting US attorney for New Jersey, a role to which Trump had appointed her following her service as his personal lawyer. She departed from that role in December after a court ruling determined she could not legally hold the position. Subsequently, she took on another role at the Justice Department as a senior adviser to the attorney general.

On January 1, Habba Mildon officially commenced work for the banker’s family while still employed by the Justice Department. Two weeks later, on January 15, Trump issued a full presidential pardon to Herrera.

This arrangement has sparked concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest, given Habba Mildon’s governmental role and her past association with Trump. Concord Partners, the company that hired her, reportedly has no public presence, and its business activities remain unclear, as per The New York Times.

Habba Mildon has refuted any involvement in securing Herrera’s pardon. Last week, she stated that she had never been compensated to obtain a pardon, had never discussed the matter with anyone at the White House or the Justice Department, and had not worked to secure a pardon for any individual.

Trump was reportedly incensed upon learning the magnitude of her contract. The New York Times reported that he expressed to aides and allies that Habba Mildon should consider donating a portion of the funds to his future presidential library or another Trump-affiliated organization. He also reportedly suggested to at least one ally that Herrera’s family should cease payments on the remainder of the contract.

Speaking on Saturday, Trump confirmed he had informed Habba Mildon that he did not want her to receive payment, characterizing the situation as “terrible.” The Justice Department has not yet provided a comment in response to a request from Reuters.