President Joe Biden issued a record number of pardons and clemency orders during his final days in office, citing the importance of restoring opportunities for Americans and addressing sentencing disparities for nonviolent offenders. In early December, Biden commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 prisoners and pardoned 39 citizens, including some controversial cases.
Among the controversial acts of clemency were the commutation of Rita Crundwell’s sentence, a former comptroller in Dixon, Illinois, who embezzled nearly $54 million, and Michael Conahan, a former judge involved in the “Kids for Cash” scandal. Both cases sparked criticism from officials and families affected by their crimes.
Other controversial pardons included Wendy Hechtman, who was involved in a drug trafficking operation in Nebraska, and Shelinder Aggarwal, an Alabama doctor who contributed to the opioid epidemic. Meera Sachdeva, a Mississippi oncologist convicted of chemotherapy fraud, also received clemency from Biden. Additionally, financial fraudsters such as Joseph Shereshevsky, Paul Daugerdas, Eric Bloom, and Paul Burks had their sentences commuted by Biden.
