Chinese spies. Pedophiles caught with child pornography. The “Cash-for-Kids” judge. All these, and more, were included in President Joe Biden’s sweeping pardons issued this week.
The Chinese nationals were reportedly part of a prisoner exchange with Beijing that secured the release of three Americans.
Yanjun Xu, who received a 20-year sentence in 2022 for attempting to steal U.S. aviation trade secrets as a Chinese Ministry of State Security officer, and Ji Chaoqun, sentenced to eight years for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, were both released.
Shanlin Jin, sentenced to 97 months for child pornography possession, was included in the exchange due to reported Chinese Communist Party family connections.
“We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung from detention in the People’s Republic of China,” a National Security Council spokesperson said in November.
Separately, Biden commuted the sentence of Michael Conahan, a former Pennsylvania judge who received kickbacks for sending juveniles to for-profit detention facilities.
“I am shocked and I am hurt,” said Sandy Fonzo, whose son committed suicide after being detained in the scheme. “Conahan’s actions destroyed families, including mine, and my son’s death is a tragic reminder of the consequences of his abuse of power.”
Conahan, sentenced to 17½ years in 2011 for accepting $2.1 million in bribes, had been released to home confinement in Florida during the pandemic.
The scandal, described as “the worst in Pennsylvania’s history” by prosecutors, affected over 2,500 children between 2003 and 2008.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said, defending his clemency decisions. “I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities.”
The commutations were part of Biden’s largest single-day clemency action in modern history, affecting almost 1,500 criminals.
The Chinese nationals must leave and “remain outside the limits of the United States” as a condition of their release.
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
Joe Biden just provided a Chinese national with clemency who was convicted of having 47,000 child p*rnography images in his possession.
Shanlin Jin was sentenced to 97 months in prison after pleading guilty.
Plano police stopped going through his computer… pic.twitter.com/MeJKrGrkcx
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) December 12, 2024
The controversy follows Biden’s recent pardon of his son Hunter, despite previous promises not to use clemency powers for family members.