President Donald Trump’s nominee for NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman, was arrested in 2010 on fraud charges and was sued multiple times for issuing counterfeit checks, federal records and court documents show. Isaacman, a self-made millionaire pilot and astronaut who became famous for commanding the first private crew into orbit aboard a SpaceX spacecraft in 2021, had a checkered past, which is resurfacing now during his Senate confirmation.
The Arrest and Fraud Charges
Isaacman’s legal troubles started in 2010, when he was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Washington State border on a warrant for alleged fraud. The arrest was the result of a controversy surrounding a travel reimbursement that Isaacman said was promised by the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas but never paid. In accordance with Isaacman, the case was resolved in 24 hours, and charges were subsequently dismissed, although court records were sealed.
The Casino Lawsuits
Besides the arrest, Isaacman was sued by civil cases in New Jersey and Connecticut for failure to settle casino debts. Trump Taj Mahal casino sued Isaacman in 2009 when he issued four checks for a total of $1 million, which were rejected due to inadequate funds. The case was ultimately settled in 2011 for $650,000. The other case, brought by Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, charged Isaacman with issuing bad checks for $1 million. Isaacman withdrew this case. Isaacman revealed these cases as part of his nomination process, saying they were a product of youthful folly.
Response to Allegations
In reaction to these claims, Isaacman explained that his previous legal troubles were the product of his immaturity during his early 20s and that everything was fixed quickly. He stressed that the 2010 border detention was due to a payment dispute that already had a resolution. “The legal issues mentioned were, in fact, gestures of negotiation and were all fixed quickly,” Isaacman asserted, maintaining that these events were part of his past.
Isaacman’s Role as NASA Nominee
Despite his checkered past, Isaacman’s nomination for administrator of NASA is attracting attention. The White House has spoken well of his potential, with spokeswoman Liz Huston labeling him “exceptionally qualified” for the job and asking the Senate to approve him quickly. Isaacman also promised the Senate Commerce Committee that he had left his bad old ways behind.
SpaceX and Gambling Bet in Space
In a strange twist, while Isaacman was orbiting Earth on a SpaceX mission in 2021, he made the first-ever sports bet from space. The bet was made while Isaacman was on the Crew Dragon capsule, continuing to show his connection to gambling and his past interests in casinos.
