The Art of the StealA project of the Save America Movement
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★ Private Action

Elizabeth Fago attends $1M MAGA Inc. dinner before son's pardon

Donor Influence and AccessMAGA Inc. Pay-to-PlayTrump Pardons

Filed April 2025$1,000,000

★ The Brief

What happened

In early April 2025, Florida Republican fundraiser Elizabeth Fago paid $1 million for a seat at a candlelight dinner at Mar-a-Lago hosted by MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC, where the advertised draw was face-to-face access to Trump as the featured speaker.

Who enabled it

Who benefits

Deal or steal?

Three weeks later, Trump pardoned Fago's son, Paul Walczak, wiping an 18-month prison sentence and $4.4 million in restitution for unpaid payroll taxes; Walczak's clemency petition had pointed to his mother's Republican fundraising.

In early April 2025, Florida Republican fundraiser Elizabeth Fago attended a candlelight dinner at Mar-a-Lago hosted by MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC. Attendance required $1 million per head and the dinner promised face-to-face access to Trump as a featured speaker. Three weeks later, on April 23, 2025, President Trump pardoned Fago's son Paul Walczak, a Florida nursing-home executive who had just been sentenced (April 11, 2025) to 18 months in federal prison and roughly $4.4 million in restitution for failing to remit more than $7 million in payroll taxes withheld from his employees.

Actors

Who pushed it · 1

Who initiated, paid, or pushed the action.

  • Elizabeth Fago

    Paid $1 million for a seat at a MAGA Inc. candlelight dinner at Mar-a-Lago in early April 2025 promising face-to-face access to Trump. Three weeks later, Trump pardoned her son Paul Walczak, wiping his 18-month federal tax-fraud sentence and $4.4 million in restitution. Has hosted at least three Trump campaign fundraisers and attended VIP events at the 2017 and 2025 inaugurations.

Beneficiaries

Who gained · 2

Who stood to gain.

  • Donald Trump
    Donald Trump

    Guest speaker at the dinner; the event's value proposition was face-to-face access to him. Three weeks later, signed a full pardon of Fago's son Paul Walczak (captured in a companion action).

  • Make America Great Again Inc.
    Make America Great Again Inc.

    Hosted the $1-million-per-head candlelight dinner at Mar-a-Lago and collected Fago's ticket revenue. MAGA Inc. is the pro-Trump super PAC raising unlimited funds for Trump-aligned political activity.

Sources

Further reading