FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — It’s been nearly two months since Jeremy Harrell was released early from a halfway house in Lexington.
In December of 2024, Harrell was convicted of theft of government benefits, a jury finding him guilty of taking $128,000 of disability payments that he wasn’t owed.
"We're still in the business of helping veterans and their families and that'll never stop," said Harrell, founder of the national nonprofit Veterans Club.
Harrell is on home detention until December, but he’s hopeful for a pardon from President Trump.
"We've talked to the right people, the key players involved in that, it's in the right place, our application and our petition for that," said Harrell.
When asked if he had spoken to President Trump directly, he told LEX 18’s Ellen Ice no, but he’s optimistic the pardon will happen.
"I feel confident, the reality is I went to prison for helping people, I didn't take anything for that, I didn't take any monetary gain or any kind of perk I literally just volunteered my time to help people that felt like I did,” said Harrell.
Harrell maintains his innocence.
"I'm not guilty of taking benefits, these benefits I earned, I went to Iraq I did what I had to do, I was discharged honorably, they're the ones who diagnosed me, who gave me a rating, I can't walk into the VA and say ‘hey I think I should be 100% disabled, can you all make that happen,” said Harrell.
Harrell tells LEX 18 he plans to run for political office in the future. He has his sights set on Congress.
