Former US Congressman Stephen Buyer, a Republican from Indiana, was recently pardoned by former President Donald Trump for his involvement in insider trading that led to a 22-month jail sentence in 2023. Buyer was convicted of securities fraud related to insider trading in 2018 involving T-Mobile US prior to its $23 billion merger with Sprint. The White House stated that Buyer’s past service in the US Army and Congress was highlighted as the reason for the pardon.

Trump’s decision to pardon Buyer was influenced by recommendations from 52 current and former members of the US Senate and House of Representatives. This action is part of a series of controversial pardons by Trump, including the release of former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández and Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.

Buyer, who served in Congress from 1993 to 2011, was found guilty of securities fraud in March 2023 for illegal trading based on confidential information about the telecommunications merger. Prosecutors revealed that Buyer profited from the illegal trades and stock transactions in other companies. Despite denying the accusations and testifying in his defense during the trial, Buyer was sentenced to 22 months in prison.

Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison term for Buyer, citing breach of trust and perjury. The US Supreme Court declined to review Buyer’s appeal against the conviction in May of the same year.