United States President Donald Trump has pardoned Joe Lewis, the 88-year-old billionaire who formerly controlled Tottenham Hotspur. The pardon erases the legal consequences of Lewis's federal conviction for insider trading, a case that concluded with a £4 million fine after Lewis pleaded guilty last year.
Lewis avoided prison time due to his age, health conditions, and early admission of guilt. Prosecutors and defence lawyers jointly argued against incarceration. The pardon appeared on the White House website today, marking Trump's continued use of presidential clemency since returning to office in January.
No return to Tottenham
Despite the pardon, Lewis will not resume any role at Tottenham. The billionaire transferred ownership of the club to the Lewis Family Trust in 2022 and has remained uninvolved since. Lewis said: «I am pleased all of this is now behind me, and I can enjoy retirement and watch as my family and extended family continue to build our businesses based on the quality and pursuit of excellence that has become our trademark.»
The Lewis family now controls the club's operations. Lewis's children Vivienne and Charles, along with Vivienne's husband Nick Beucher, manage day-to-day affairs. The family removed long-serving chairman Daniel Levy in September after nearly 25 years, implementing a new boardroom structure under chief executive Vinai Venkatesham with non-executive chairman Peter Charrington and director Eric Hinson.
A source close to the family expressed gratitude: «Joe and the Lewis family are extremely grateful for this pardon and would like to thank President Trump for taking this action. Over his long business career, Joe has been a visionary, creating businesses across the world which multiple generations of his family are now taking forward. There is so much more to the Joe Lewis story than this one event.»
The club's majority owners injected £100 million of capital last month, with further funding promised to support the team's competitive ambitions. Tottenham continues to adjust to its new era following Levy's departure, who presided over the construction of the club's world-class stadium and its rise into Champions League competition.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
