- Net worth
- Unknown
- Crimes
- obstruction, campaign finance, tax fraud
- Convicted of
- Obstruction of federal investigation; illegal campaign contributions; FARA violations; tax evasion
- Original sentence
- 12 years' imprisonment; restitution; fines (February 2021)
- Time served
- ~4 years before pardon
Background
Imaad Shah Zuberi is a California venture capitalist and political donor who gave heavily to both major parties. He donated over $1.1 million to Trump-affiliated committees and the Republican Party after the 2016 election and contributed $900,000 to Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee.
The Case
Zuberi pleaded guilty to obstructing a federal investigation into his $900,000 donation to Trump’s inaugural committee, making illegal campaign contributions funded by foreign sources, falsifying Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) records related to lobbying for Sri Lanka, and tax evasion on millions in income from that lobbying. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $16 million in restitution and $1.75 million in fines. His conduct undermined campaign finance laws, hid foreign influence, and deprived the government of taxes.
The Pardon
On May 28, 2025, President Trump granted Zuberi a full pardon.