Josh Wander, co-founder of American private investment company and former Standard Liège owner 777 Partners, has asked American President Donald Trump for a pardon in his upcoming fraud lawsuit.
Wander is being prosecuted for cheating investors and lenders at 777 Partners out of almost €430 million.
He is charged with faking financial documents to inflate the value of the assets 777 owned and borrowing money against inflated and non-existent assets.
According to Bloomberg, he's part of a group of people seeking unconditional pardons. Alongside Wander, singer R. Kelly is seeking a commutation of his prison sentences for sex crimes and racketeering.
Wander's private investment company, 777, owned stakes in several football clubs like Genoa CFC, Red Star FCCR, Vasco da Gama, Hertha BSC, and most notably, a controlling share in Belgian football club Standard Liège.
The fund had acquired Standard in the spring of 2022 for a reported €55 million.
Stade Maurice Dufranse, Standard Liege's stadium. Credit: Belga/Bruno Fahy
During a takeover of English football club Everton in September 2023, the Premier League noticed irregularities in the financial records of 777. This rejected takeover was followed by investors and lenders filing lawsuits against the Miami-based investment fund.
In December 2023, Standard received a temporary transfer ban from the Jupiler Pro League as it had failed to pay taxes, salaries and transfer fees.
In May 2024, former owner Bruno Venenzi demanded the seizure of 777's Belgian assets over alleged non-payment.
Standard entered administration in the summer of 2024 before being taken over by its current owner, Giacomo Angelini.
While Wander has not been convicted yet, his request for a pardon follows the precedent set by American businessman Timothy Leiweke, the former chief executive of Oak View Group. Leiweke received an unconditional pardon in 2025, before his bid-rigging lawsuit had gone to trial.
Wander has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial in October.
