BREAKING🚨 Democrats just launched an investigation into whether Trump's pardons were "pay-to-play" — after he wiped away nearly $2 BILLION in restitution owed to fraud victims. Senate and House Democrats are investigating whether pardons and commutations issued by Trump were driven by financial contributions, according to letters obtained by CBS News. Representatives Dave Min, Raul Ruiz, and Senator Peter Welch sent letters to over a dozen pardon recipients, demanding records showing how much money they paid to lawyers, lobbyists, social media influencers, and others who advocated on their behalf to Trump. The lawmakers are asking for contracts, communications with federal officials, donations to Trump or groups affiliated with him, and other documents related to clemency efforts. Among the pardons being probed: cryptocurrency billionaire Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to money laundering; nursing home operator Joseph Schwartz, convicted of tax crimes; and entrepreneur Trevor Milton, sentenced to four years for lying to investors. In March 2025, Trump pardoned Milton and wiped away roughly $680 million in restitution to shareholders. Democrats are also investigating clemency granted to former healthcare executive Lawrence Duran — convicted of Medicare fraud — whose commutation eliminated $87 million in owed restitution. And former private equity executive David Gentile, convicted of running a $1.6 billion Ponzi scheme, had his $15.5 million in restitution wiped away when Trump commuted his sentence. According to an analysis from California Governor Gavin Newsom's office, Trump's pardons and clemency nullified almost $2 billion in recovered money from Medicare fraud, tax fraud, and victim repayment. Senate Democrats said Gentile's commutation "represents a betrayal of more than 17,000 innocent Americans from all walks of the political spectrum that lost over $1 billion in life savings because of his crimes." The investigation is examining whether pardon recipients received clemency "through intermediaries, financial contributions, or other forms of influence." The pardons went to cryptocurrency billionaires, Ponzi schemers, and Medicare fraudsters.