Paul Erickson

Paul Erickson
Born:	1962 Vermillion, South Dakota
Charges:	Wire fraud, Money laundering
Sentence:	7 years
Facility:
Status:	Pardoned

Paul Erickson (born 1962) is an American conservative political operative, lawyer, and businessman who was convicted of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with fraudulent investment schemes. In November 2019, Erickson pleaded guilty to defrauding 78 investors of approximately $5.3 million over a 20-year period through various schemes including a fraudulent oil development project. He was sentenced to seven years in federal prison and ordered to pay approximately $3 million in restitution. Erickson gained additional notoriety as the boyfriend of Maria Butina, who pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered Russian agent. President Donald Trump granted Erickson a full pardon on January 19, 2021, his last full day in office, eliminating both the prison sentence and the restitution obligation to victims.

Summary

Paul Erickson's case illustrates the intersection of Republican political activism, Russian influence operations, and financial fraud. A veteran Republican operative who worked on multiple presidential campaigns and maintained strong ties to the National Rifle Association, Erickson became a central figure in the federal investigation of Maria Butina, a Russian national who pleaded guilty to conspiring to advance Russian interests by infiltrating American political organizations.

While Erickson was never charged with crimes related to his activities with Butina, federal prosecutors pursued him for long-running fraud schemes that predated his relationship with the Russian agent. Over two decades, Erickson had bilked dozens of investors through various schemes, including a fraudulent oil development project and investments in a healthcare venture.

The pardon Trump granted Erickson drew criticism because it framed the fraud conviction as a consequence of the "Russian collusion hoax" rather than acknowledging the actual victims of Erickson's schemes. One victim described the pardon as a "slap in the face." The pardon eliminated approximately $3 million in restitution that Erickson had been ordered to pay.

Background

Early Life and Education

Paul Erickson was born in 1962 in Vermillion, South Dakota, where he was adopted and raised. He attended the University of South Dakota, where he served as Student Association vice president in 1980. He then transferred to Yale University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and political science in 1984. Erickson later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988.

Political Career

Erickson's political career began in earnest while still an undergraduate. In 1980, while at the University of South Dakota, he coordinated a youth campaign for Representative James Abdnor (R-SD) during Abdnor's successful Senate campaign that unseated the legendary George McGovern. South Dakota Republican lawmaker Lee Schoenbeck, whose experience with Erickson dates back to their time in the College Republicans, recalled that Erickson's work on the Abdnor campaign launched his career as a political operative.

College Republican National Committee

Between his time at the University of South Dakota and Yale, Erickson served for a year as national treasurer of the College Republican National Committee (CRNC) in Washington, D.C. This proved to be a formative experience that connected him with a generation of young conservative activists who would become powerful figures in Republican politics. The CRNC staff at the time included Grover Norquist, who was executive director; Ralph Reed, who would later found the Christian Coalition; and Jack Abramoff, who served as national chairman and would later become infamous for his lobbying scandal. Erickson later described this period as transformative: "College Republicans meant that we knew everybody. We were the foot soldiers for every conservative politician, movement and campaign in the country."

Erickson later told reporter Nina Easton that "Ralph was Grover's clone," describing the close ideological alignment between Reed and Norquist during their College Republican days. This network of connections would shape conservative politics for decades and provided Erickson with an extensive web of political relationships.

Reagan Re-election Campaign (1984)

In 1984, as a member of the National College Republicans, Erickson helped manage youth outreach efforts for President Ronald Reagan's re-election campaign, focusing on mobilizing student supporters across the country. That same year, while still in college, Erickson wrote and performed "Fritzbusters," a comedy routine that satirized Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale—a parody inspired by the newly released film Ghostbusters. Erickson and fellow College Republicans performed "Fritzbusters" at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, and later as a warm-up act for Reagan at campaign rallies during the fall election.

Pat Buchanan Presidential Campaign (1992)

Erickson's most prominent campaign position came in 1992 when he served as national political director—and de facto campaign manager—for Pat Buchanan's insurgent challenge to President George H.W. Bush in the Republican primaries. Frustrated by Bush's decision to raise taxes after his famous "read my lips" pledge, Erickson was willing to work on Buchanan's quixotic campaign at a time when many established Republican operatives shied away from trying to unseat a sitting president of their own party.

Erickson oversaw the New Hampshire primary effort, where Buchanan achieved a surprisingly strong showing, securing 37% of the vote against the incumbent president—a result that revealed significant dissatisfaction within the Republican base and foreshadowed Bush's eventual defeat in the general election. A biographer of Buchanan later said Erickson was "the best there was at the price Pat could afford."

Other Political Activities

In 1996, Erickson served as co-chairman for Bob Dole's presidential campaign in South Dakota. He maintained connections with Republican political circles and the National Rifle Association throughout the 1990s and 2000s, relationships that would later prove significant when he began his relationship with Maria Butina.

Entertainment and Business Ventures

Beyond his political work, Erickson pursued various entertainment and business ventures, some of which intersected with his political connections.

Red Scorpion (1988)

Erickson worked as an executive producer on Red Scorpion (1988), an anticommunist action film starring Dolph Lundgren. The film was produced by his College Republican colleague Jack Abramoff and was part of a broader effort by conservative activists to produce films promoting anti-Soviet messages during the late Cold War period. The film was controversial because it was partly financed by the apartheid-era South African government and filmed in Namibia, then under South African control.

John Wayne Bobbitt Representation (1993-1994)

In one of the more unusual chapters of his career, Erickson served as media adviser, agent, and lawyer for John Wayne Bobbitt from 1993 to 1994. Bobbitt had become a tabloid sensation after his wife Lorena severed his penis with a kitchen knife in a highly publicized domestic dispute. Erickson organized an international "Love Hurts" tour for Bobbitt, booking him on television shows including The Howard Stern Show and generating significant media coverage. The venture demonstrated Erickson's willingness to pursue unconventional opportunities for publicity and profit.

Other Lobbying and Business Activities

In 1994, Erickson accepted a contract from Jack Abramoff to lobby the U.S. government on behalf of Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko regarding his entry into the United States. Throughout his career, Erickson also claimed to have "fought in three and a half wars" and to have assisted "three democratic resistance movements around the world," including anti-communist efforts in Nicaragua and Afghanistan, though many of these claims remained unverified.

Religious Activities

Erickson identified as a devout Lutheran and based his personal mission on Ephesians 2:8. He founded "Word Alone," a Lutheran grassroots network that promoted traditional theological views within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 1997, he helped organize Promise Keepers events, the Christian men's movement that held large stadium rallies promoting religious commitment and family values. Erickson stated that his threefold mission in life was "to serve Christ, honor my country and build a values-based society."

Russian Connections

Relationship with Maria Butina

Erickson began a relationship with Maria Butina around 2013, meeting her through NRA circles. Butina was a Russian national who served as an assistant to Russian politician Aleksandr Torshin, a deputy governor of the Central Bank of Russia, and was the founder of a Russian gun rights group called "The Right to Bear Arms." Erickson helped Butina establish her gun rights organization in Russia, facilitated her graduate studies at American University in Washington, D.C., and introduced her to Republican political figures.

In 2016, Erickson and Butina established a South Dakota business named "Bridges, LLC," which Erickson claimed was created to provide financial assistance for Butina's graduate studies in the United States. The couple lived together in Washington, D.C., and dated for approximately five years until Butina's arrest in 2018.

NRA and Kremlin Back-Channel

During Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, Erickson attempted to develop a back-channel between the NRA and the Russian government. In May 2016, Erickson sent an email with the subject line "Kremlin Connection" to Trump campaign adviser Rick Dearborn, seeking advice on setting up a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at an annual NRA convention.

In the email, Erickson described his efforts to cultivate "a back-channel to President Putin's Kremlin" through his connections with the National Rifle Association and conservative figures. Erickson and Butina also arranged for NRA leaders to visit Russia in December 2015, where they attended meetings with top Russian government officials including Alexander Torshin.

Butina Investigation

In July 2018, Butina was arrested by the FBI and charged with conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of the Russian Federation. Federal prosecutors alleged that Erickson—identified in court documents as an unnamed "American political operative"—had worked with Butina to arrange introductions to influential Americans and advance Russian interests.

In December 2018, Butina pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States, admitting she had engaged in the conspiracy with Erickson and Torshin. She served 18 months in prison and was deported to Russia in 2019, where she subsequently became a member of the Russian parliament.

Erickson was never charged with crimes related to his work with Butina, though the investigation brought intense scrutiny to his activities and relationships.

Fraud Conviction

The Schemes

Federal prosecutors charged Erickson with operating fraudulent investment schemes over a 20-year period from 1996 through 2018. The schemes allegedly involved three entities owned and operated by Erickson:

• Compass Care, Inc.
• Investing with Dignity, LLC
• An unnamed oil development venture

Erickson allegedly defrauded at least 76 investors of approximately $5.3 million. One major scheme involved an oil development project in North Dakota where investors were promised returns of up to 150% while Erickson allegedly spent the money on personal expenses, including financial support for Butina.

The victims included attorneys, Fortune 400 executives, Yale classmates, and investors Erickson met through church networks. Prosecutors documented a pattern of exploiting trust relationships—personal, professional, and religious—to defraud victims over two decades.

Indictment

In February 2019, a federal grand jury in South Dakota indicted Erickson on 11 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleged that Erickson "knowingly and unlawfully devised a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money from many victims by means of false and fraudulent pretense, representations, and promises."

The charges were not related to the Butina case or the broader investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, though the timing of the indictment—shortly after Butina's guilty plea—led many observers to speculate about connections.

Guilty Plea

In November 2019, Erickson pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

Sentencing

In July 2020, Erickson was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to over 50 victims of his schemes.

Presidential Pardon

On January 19, 2021—Donald Trump's last full day as president—Trump granted Erickson a full pardon. The pardon was reportedly influenced by former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway. Erickson was released after serving approximately seven months in prison.

White House Statement

The White House statement framed the pardon in terms of the Russia investigation: "Mr. Erickson's conviction was based off the Russian collusion hoax. After finding no grounds to charge him with any crimes with respect to connections with Russia, he was charged with a minor financial crime. This pardon helps right the wrongs of what has been revealed to be perhaps the greatest witch hunt in American History."

Criticism

The characterization of Erickson's crimes as "minor" drew widespread criticism. Federal prosecutors had documented $5.3 million stolen from 78 victims, with more than $3 million in restitution ordered—hardly a minor offense by any standard measure.

One victim contacted by South Dakota Public Broadcasting described the pardon as a "slap in the face." The pardon eliminated approximately $3 million in restitution that Erickson had been ordered to pay to his victims, effectively denying them any financial recovery for their losses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Paul Erickson do?

Erickson pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in connection with fraudulent investment schemes spanning 20 years from 1996 to 2018. He bilked 78 investors of approximately $5.3 million through various schemes including a fraudulent oil development project. He was also the boyfriend of Maria Butina, who pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered Russian agent.

Q: Was Paul Erickson pardoned?

Yes, President Trump granted Erickson a full pardon on January 19, 2021, Trump's last full day in office. The White House claimed the conviction was based on the "Russian collusion hoax" and called the fraud a "minor financial crime," though prosecutors documented $5.3 million stolen from 78 victims. The pardon eliminated approximately $3 million in restitution owed to victims.

Q: What was Paul Erickson's sentence?

Erickson was sentenced to seven years in federal prison in July 2020. He was also ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to over 50 victims. Trump's pardon in January 2021 wiped out both the prison sentence and the restitution obligation, angering victims who described the pardon as a "slap in the face."

Q: Who is Maria Butina?

Maria Butina is a Russian national who pleaded guilty in December 2018 to conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of the Russian Federation. She was Erickson's girlfriend. Prosecutors said she gained access to conservative politicians and NRA members through Erickson to advance Russian interests. Butina served 18 months in prison and was deported to Russia in 2019, where she later became a member of the Russian parliament.

Q: What was Paul Erickson's connection to the NRA and Russia?

Erickson had strong ties to the NRA and attempted to create a back-channel between the NRA and the Russian government. In May 2016, he sent an email with the subject line "Kremlin Connection" to a Trump campaign advisor about setting up a meeting between Trump and Putin at an NRA convention. He and Butina arranged for NRA leaders to visit Russia in 2015.

Q: What was Paul Erickson's political career?

Erickson was a veteran Republican operative who worked on multiple presidential campaigns. He coordinated youth campaigns for Jim Abdnor in 1980, served as national treasurer of the College Republicans alongside Grover Norquist and Jack Abramoff, worked on Reagan's 1984 re-election, served as national political director for Pat Buchanan's 1992 campaign, and was co-chairman for Bob Dole's 1996 South Dakota campaign.

See also

• Wire Fraud
• Presidential Clemency and Pardons
• Federal Conspiracy