(Washington) US President Donald Trump granted a pardon on Thursday to billionaire Joe Lewis, former owner of the British football club Tottenham Hotspur, a White House official said.
The 88-year-old British tycoon had requested a pardon to receive medical treatment and visit his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the United States, said the same source.
Mr. Lewis pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiring to commit securities fraud. He escaped prison and now lives in the Bahamas.
The billionaire admitted his guilt, did not contest his extradition to the United States and paid a fine of $5 million, a White House official said.
According to Forbeshis fortune currently stands at $6.8 billion.
He developed a reputation as a currency speculator in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Its holding company ENIC bought the majority of shares in the Tottenham club in 2001. Joe Lewis officially handed over control of the club in 2022, with his stake transferred to a family trust.
