The former national leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, assured that he will request millions of dollars from the new fund announced by President Donald Trump's government to compensate people who believe they have been politically persecuted during Joe Biden's administration.

The Justice Department recently reported the creation of a fund of approximately $1.776 billion for Trump allies who were investigated or prosecuted in recent years. The measure has generated strong controversy in Washington and criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans.

Tarrio, who was sentenced in 2023 to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy related to the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, regained his freedom after receiving a pardon granted by Trump after returning to the White House.

In statements to Florida media, Tarrio affirmed that he was a victim of “political instrumentalization” and maintained that he deserves to be compensated for the impact that the case had on his life and that of his family.

“I think this fund belongs to me,” said the former far-right leader, who also pointed out that since the official announcement he has received numerous calls from other people linked to the events of January 6 interested in knowing how they could present claims.

Doubts grow about the distribution of money

Until now, the Department of Justice has not detailed what the exact criteria will be for distributing the resources or who will be able to access them. This lack of clarity has increased criticism around the initiative.

Tarrio acknowledged that there are still many questions about the functioning of the fund, although he estimated that the amount allocated may not be enough to cover all potential requests.

The former Proud Boys leader said that if he were to seek full compensation for the damages suffered, the figure could reach “tens of millions of dollars.” In other interviews, he mentioned that he considers it reasonable to receive between $2 and $5 million.

The controversy also increased after the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, avoided ruling out that people convicted of attacking police officers during the assault on the Capitol could be eligible to receive payments.

According to court records, more than 140 officers were injured during the riots at the Capitol as Congress was certifying Biden's election victory over Trump.

Lawsuits and criticism of the new fund

The fund announcement already faces legal challenges. Two police officers who were attacked during the riots filed a lawsuit arguing that the program constitutes an “act of presidential corruption.”

Despite this, Tarrio defended the initiative and maintained that the objective is not to reward attacks against law enforcement officers, but rather to compensate those who, according to him, were subjected to politicized judicial processes.

During Tarrio's trial, federal prosecutors argued that the then leader of the Proud Boys coordinated actions to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election. The accusation included private messages in which he allegedly celebrated the progress of the insurrection.

Federal Judge Timothy Kelly called Tarrio's conduct an act of terrorism when handing down the 22-year sentence, one of the most severe related to the attack on the Capitol.

Currently, Tarrio assured that he is analyzing the possibility of starting a political career in South Florida and that, eventually, he would like to compete for a seat in the federal Congress. He also expressed gratitude to Trump for granting him a pardon and for promoting the compensation fund.