Victims of billion-dollar fraud left holding the bag after Trump commutes the sentence of a convicted private equity CEO

Dec. 12, 2025

David Gentile and his business partner, Jeffry Schneider, were convicted in 2024 of defrauding investors in a scheme valued at $1,6 billion. But President Donald J. Trump (R) has only commuted the sentence of Gentile, leaving Schneider behind bars. The commutation of Gentile lifts an order to pay over $15 million in restitution to defrauded investors.

Further Reading :

• Fraudster’s Victims Are Seething After Trump Commuted His Sentence [The New York Times]
  Dec. 12, 2025 — David Gentile spent just days in prison for his conviction in what prosecutors described as a $1.6 billion scheme that defrauded thousands of investors.
• David Gentile no longer required to pay $15.5M in restitution after Trump’s commutation [POLITICO]
  Dec. 3, 2025 — Convicted fraudster David Gentile, a former private equity executive whose seven-year sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump shortly after entering prison, will not have to pay the $15.5 million in restitution associated with his conviction, according to a grant of clemency Trump signed in late November.
• Texas scammer still behind bars after Trump releases his partner [San Antonio Express-News]
  Dec. 2, 2025 — David Gentile of New York and Jeffry Schneider of Austin were convicted in a fraud case. Gentile’s sentence has been commuted, but Schneider’s hasn’t.

Source Documents :

• Executive Grant of Clemency - David Gentile : Donald J Trump
  Convicted fraudster David Gentile, a former private equity executive whose seven-year sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump shortly after entering prison, will not have to pay the $15.5 million in restitution associated with his conviction, according to a grant of clemency Trump signed in late November.

Key Words :

• David Gentile
• GPB Capital
• Jeffry Schneider
• U.S. Department of Justice