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Who is Adriana Camberos? Twice-convicted businesswoman pardoned again by Trump
Trump has granted pardons to over 20 individuals, including Adriana Camberos, a California businesswoman with prior fraud convictions.
US President Donald Trump has issued another wave of presidential pardons. Among the beneficiaries is Adriana Camberos, a Californiabusinesswoman whose criminal record includes two separate federal fraud convictions and a prior commutation granted by Trump during his first term.
According to ABC News and Bloomberg, Camberos received a full pardon last week, just years after Trump had already commuted her prison sentence in 2021. The move effectively wipes out her most recent conviction, making her one of the rare cases where a clemency recipient was later convicted of a new crime and then pardoned again.
The pardon comes as part of a broader slate of more than 20 clemencies issued by Trump, including pardons for political figures, business executives and individuals tied to high-profile federal prosecutions.
Who is Adriana Camberos?
Adriana Camberos is a San Diego-based businesswoman who first faced federal charges for her role in a scheme involving 5-Hour Energy drink bottles. As detailed by ABC News, prosecutors said the products were originally acquired for resale in Mexico but were instead diverted to the US market.
Authorities alleged that counterfeit labels were added and the bottles were filled with a fake liquid before being sold domestically. She was convicted in the case, and Trump commuted her sentence in January 2021, days before leaving office.
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Her legal troubles did not end there. In 2024, Camberos and her brother, Andres Camberos, were convicted in a separate federal fraud case. According to the Justice Department, the siblings lied to manufacturers to obtain wholesale groceries and other goods at steep discounts, claiming the products were intended for export to Mexico or for prisons and rehabilitation facilities.
Prosecutors said the items were instead sold to US distributors at higher prices, generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue, reported Bloomberg.
Following that conviction, Camberos returned to federal custody.
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Last week’s pardon, confirmed by a White House official speaking to Bloomberg, led to her immediate release. Her brother Andres also received a pardon.
The White House has maintained that the Camberos family was unfairly targeted during the Biden administration, framing the prosecution as politically motivated. Federal prosecutors, however, have consistently described the cases as deliberate and calculated fraud schemes.
