Federal prosecutors were investigating the conditions surrounding the clemency granted to David Gentile, a private equity executive found guilty of a massive fraud. Gentile was involved in a scheme defrauding over $1.6 billion, targeting mainly small investors, some of whom lost their retirement savings.

Days into a seven-year sentence, Gentile was released from a New York prison after receiving clemency from President Trump. The decision erased the possibility of forfeiting over $15.5 million to the government.

A probe had begun in Brooklyn, where Gentile’s conviction was secured. It aimed to uncover whether any improper payments were involved in facilitating his clemency. Evidence included information about communications from prison, suggesting Gentile discussed payments of $2.5 million or more to secure the commutation.

Among those scrutinized was Rev. Frank Mann, a retired Catholic priest and friend of Trump. Though Mann denied involvement in the clemency via email to The New York Times, prison communications suggested he corresponded with Gentile about lobbying the president.

Five individuals knowledgeable about the events indicated that Trump’s political appointees dismissed the early-stage criminal investigation into these circumstances. The investigation had not been publicly disclosed before this.