Donald Trump has pardoned Joe Lewis, the British billionaire and former owner of Tottenham Hotspur, over a 2024 conviction for insider trading. Lewis, 88, was fined $5m (£3.8m) and given three years probation by a New York judge last year but avoided jail after pleading guilty to involvement in a scheme prosecutors described as 'brazen'.
The scheme, detailed in a 29-page dossier, involved Lewis passing share tips based on inside information to employees, including his private jet pilot and his then-girlfriend, allowing them to profit from stock trades. Lewis initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea after prosecutors agreed to a non-custodial sentence.
At his sentencing, Lewis said: 'I made a terrible mistake. I broke the law. I am ashamed, sorry, and I hold myself accountable.' Judge Jessica Clarke imposed a $44m fine on his company, Broad Bay, on top of his personal penalty, but declined to incarcerate him.
The White House confirmed the pardon, saying Lewis requested it to receive medical treatment and visit grandchildren in the US. Lewis stated: 'I am pleased all of this is now behind me, and I can enjoy retirement.' A family source expressed gratitude to Trump, describing Lewis as a 'visionary' businessman.
Lewis transferred his majority stake in Tottenham to a family trust in 2022, before the charges. The club is now run by his daughter Vivienne, son Charles, and Vivienne's son-in-law Nick Beucher.
