Todd Blanche faces legal scrutiny over $1.8 billion DOJ settlement fund

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is under intense investigation for his role in creating a $1.8 billion “Anti‑Weaponization Fund” that compensates Trump allies and limits IRS scrutiny of the former president’s businesses. Critics say the settlement raises conflict‑of‑interest concerns under 18 U.S.C. § 208 and could implicate the witness‑tampering statute (18 U.S.C. § 1512) after U.S. Marshals delivered a warning letter to former DOJ Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer. Blanche also faced questions about his cryptocurrency holdings, which amounted to up to roughly $485,000, and his memo that halted crypto investigations. A former prosecutor highlighted Blanche’s public expressions of loyalty to Donald Trump, calling the behavior potentially criminal and comparing it to past scandals involving government officials. The combined allegations suggest possible violations that carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.