Convicted insider trader backs pro-Trump documentary hoping for presidential pardon, sued for extortion
A Miami investor convicted of insider trading funded a pro-Trump documentary to seek a presidential pardon and is now sued for loan-related threats.
Michael Shvartsman, a Miami investor who admitted to insider trading involving Trump Media & Technology Group, contributed $425,000 to the documentary “The Man You Don’t Know” shortly after his conviction, aiming to secure a presidential pardon. He attended the film’s Mar-a-Lago premiere in October, where the production featured Donald Trump, his sons, and other Trump allies. The film’s producer, Global Ascension Studios, alleges Shvartsman pressed for immediate loan repayment and threatened CEO Joshua Macciello’s safety, forcing a renegotiated profit share.
Shvartsman, who began serving a two-year-four-month sentence in January 2025 and was released in May 2026, disputes the allegations and plans a countersuit while his pardon request remains pending. Experts note this reflects a burgeoning “pay-to-play” industry where convicted individuals finance political media and lobbying to sway presidential clemency, though success is far from guaranteed. The lawsuit underscores concerns about the influence of money on the pardon process.
