BitMEX Co-Founder Donates $27M to London Math Institute After Trump Pardon
Ben Delo, a BitMEX co-founder who pleaded guilty to U.S. banking violations in 2022 and paid a $10 million fine, has donated $27 million to the London Mathematical Institute following a presidential pardon granted by Donald Trump in March 2025. The sizable gift arrives after Delo’s legal matters were formally closed by the pardon and is directed to support advanced mathematical research and institutional programs in London.
The donation has both philanthropic and reputational significance: it channels a high-profile crypto founder’s capital into academic research while potentially helping rehabilitate public perception after a high-profile legal case. Observers say the move could influence how regulators, donors and industry participants view post-litigation charitable giving in crypto, and it underscores a pattern of wealthy tech and crypto figures using philanthropy to shape legacy and support scientific work.