President Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon on Tuesday for Devon Archer, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, whose congressional testimony two years ago contributed to House Republicans’ investigation into the Biden family.
Archer had been convicted in a fraud case and sentenced in 2022 to a year and a day in prison. The pardon nullifies the conviction as well as tens of millions of dollars in forfeitures and restitution that Archer was ordered to pay. Notably, Archer was pardoned before serving any portion of his prison sentence.
Archer gained support from right-wing circles, including Trump’s allies, after testifying in a 2023 congressional investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings. He alleged that the Bidens abused “soft power” through business ventures that profited Hunter Biden significantly. Supporters contended that Archer faced harsher treatment from prosecutors after cooperating with investigations into the Bidens.
Before signing the pardon, Trump stated that Archer “was treated very unfairly” and described him as “a victim of a crime.” The pardon exemplifies Trump’s use of his clemency powers to reward allies and address grievances regarding perceived political misuse of the justice system.
Archer, who has a background in international finance and Democratic fundraising, partnered with Hunter Biden in 2009, facilitating connections with foreign business interests. In 2014, both joined the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company viewed as corrupt by some in the State Department, during a time when Joseph R. Biden Jr. was vice president overseeing Ukraine policy. This overlap has been a focal point for Republican scrutiny.
After being charged in 2016 with defrauding pension funds and an Indian tribe, Archer began distancing himself from Hunter Biden. He was initially convicted in 2018, but a judge later set aside the conviction for a new trial, which was subsequently reversed by a federal appeals court in 2020, reinstating the fraud conviction.
Matthew L. Schwartz, Archer’s lawyer, characterized the presidential pardon as a correction of a flawed jury decision, stating, “The American jury system is an amazing thing, but as the trial judge held in finding serious questions about Devon Archer’s innocence, sometimes juries get it wrong.” Schwartz added that the pardon rectifies a serious injustice and allows Archer to be free from the threat of misguided prosecution.
Archer’s congressional testimony presented mixed outcomes for both parties. While he criticized Hunter Biden’s business practices, he stated he saw no wrongdoing by the elder Biden. The GOP’s investigation did not culminate in an impeachment case against the former president.
During his testimony, Archer confirmed he was unaware of any wrongdoing by Vice President Biden. However, he suggested that Burisma’s continued operation during challenging periods was due to its connections with influential Washington figures and the "brand" that Hunter Biden brought to the board.
Archer recalled instances where Hunter Biden included his father on speakerphone during meetings with business associates, indicating that the conversations were merely social. He remarked, “There was not business content in these conversations,” emphasizing the influence that proximity to power could convey.
In a subsequent interview, Archer described the situation as an “abuse of soft power” and asserted that it was incorrect for defenders of the former president to claim he was unaware of his son’s business activities, stating, “He was aware of Hunter’s business.”
In addition to his congressional testimony, Archer was interviewed by prosecutors in 2021 and subpoenaed for documents related to an investigation into Hunter Biden’s finances and foreign business dealings.
Last year, Hunter Biden faced convictions for gun crimes and pleaded guilty to tax offenses linked to income from Burisma and other foreign enterprises. In the final months of his presidency, President Biden issued a broad pardon for Hunter Biden, covering those convictions and any potential past crimes, which coincided with his tenure at Burisma.
This pardon has raised concerns among clemency experts and has been cited by Archer’s supporters as further justification for his own clemency.
A lawyer for Hunter Biden declined to comment.