A New York man who once won clemency from President Donald Trump is headed back to federal prison, this time for a string of ugly incidents that a judge said showed a pattern of lawlessness.
Jonathan Braun, a Long Island financier whose drug-trafficking conviction was wiped off the books in 2021, was sentenced Monday to 27 months for new offenses and violations of supervised release, including swinging an IV pole at a nurse, sexually assaulting his children’s nanny, harassing a member of his synagogue, and dodging tolls while driving his white Lamborghini and black Ferrari.
U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto handed down the sentence in Brooklyn federal court, telling Braun she hoped his “expressions of remorse” and plans to “lead a law-abiding life” were genuine. Braun, who has been detained since his arrest earlier this year, thanked the judge for keeping him locked up, saying the time behind bars “saved my life” by forcing him to get sober.
The case is a stunning fall from grace for a man who once benefited from presidential mercy. Braun had been serving a ten-year sentence for marijuana smuggling and money laundering before the Trump White House intervened, reportedly thanks to connections with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law. After his release, prosecutors say, Braun’s life unraveled. He was accused of attacking a nurse with a metal IV pole, threatening a fellow synagogue member, and sexually assaulting his children’s nanny, all while racking up unpaid tolls in luxury cars.
Prosecutors described Braun as a danger to the public, citing his repeated outbursts and defiance of the terms of his supervised release. His defense team argued that he has taken meaningful steps toward rehabilitation, attending psychiatric counseling, getting sober, and meeting regularly with a rabbi. The judge acknowledged his progress but emphasized that words of regret had to be matched by actions.
A felon whose sentence Trump commuted in the final hours of his first term has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after being accused of a range of criminal conduct — including physical and sexual assault — since Trump freed him.
Jonathan Braun had a long history of violence.…
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 10, 2025
At the time of his clemency, Braun was only one year into his original ten-year sentence. He had been hailed by some Trump allies as an example of overzealous prosecution, but his new crimes have cast a shadow over the clemency program. Braun is now at least the eighth Trump clemency recipient to reoffend or face new criminal charges since being released.
The repeat offenses have reignited criticism over how Trump used the pardon and commutation power. During his first term, the president granted clemency to several politically connected individuals, including allies convicted in the fallout from the 2016 election and figures tied to the January 6 Capitol riot. On Monday, Trump made headlines again for issuing pardons to 77 people accused of helping him try to overturn the 2020 election.
For Braun, the consequences are clear, he will spend the next 27 months in federal custody before facing renewed supervision with stricter conditions, including ongoing therapy and substance abuse treatment. Matsumoto told him she hoped his time behind bars would lead to genuine change, not another cycle of self-destruction.
“I’m thankful for the time,” Braun reportedly told the court, “because it gave me a chance to get sober.”
