James Batmasian among 26 Pardoned by President Donald Trump

Among the 26 people who were granted full pardons from President Donald Trump on Wednesday was Boca Raton resident, James Batmasian.

Batmasian served eight months in federal prison in 2008 for failing to pay the IRS about $250,000 in payroll taxes.

According to the White House press secretary statement, Batmasian’s pardon was supported by U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, Alice Johnson, and former Masters Champion Bernhard Langer, who also lives in Boca Raton, “among many others from the South Florida community that Mr. Batmasian has done so much to serve through his extensive charitable works.”

The White House statement continues by saying: “Over a three-year period from 2001 to 2003, Mr. Batmasian made overtime payments without withholding for income taxes or FICA contributions. While illegal, Mr. Batmasian recorded all of these payments and made no attempt to hide them when confronted by IRS investigators.”

The statement also said that “In 2008, Mr. Batmasian pled guilty to willful failure to collect and remit payroll taxes. Mr. Batmasian accepted full responsibility for his actions, fully repaid the IRS the money he owed, and served his 8-month sentence.”