09/13/2026: Shot Down Over Iran, The Pardon Economy, Battering Ram

0:07When an American warplane was shot down over Iran, the U.S. military launched one of the largest rescue operations in its history to find this officer. Given your injuries, how did you find the strength to make it up the mountain? His first interview tonight. night. Presidents have been pardoning criminals since George Washington. How did these people get their grievances in the president's ear? This is what I was led to believe. If you come with this money, you will get a pardon. Those who can pay hire pardon brokers. I don't think you're pardoned. I don't think it'll be too difficult. The L.A.

0:53Rams are a, maybe the, premier NFL franchise, wound tightly on the team's tightly wound leader, Sean McVay. Oh, I'm a lot tormented. You're a lot tormented. What's tormenting you right now? The practice that we just had. That's why I'm in such a great mood.

1:11I'm Leslie Stahl. I'm John Wertheim. I'm Nora O'Donnell. I'm Ross Douthat. I'm Bill Whitaker. Those stories and more tonight on the 59th season premiere of 60 Minutes.

1:30It's five o 'clock. Your employees are heading home, but you're still updating spreadsheets, switching between software and wondering where the day went. There's a better way. Odoo brings accounting, sales, inventory, CRM and more together in one fully integrated platform. So you spend less time managing software and more time running your business because your workday should end eventually. Try Odoo free at odoo.com. That's O-D-O-O dot com. When an American fighter jet was shot down over Iran this past April 2nd, not one but two U.S. Air Force officers were left stranded, alone in a rugged mountain range, being pursued by Iranian forces.

2:17To prevent their capture five weeks into a costly and unpopular war that has taken the lives of 18 U.S. service members, the U.S. military launched one of the largest search and rescue operations in its history. Tonight, we begin our 59th season with how the mission unfolded. We'll show you newly declassified footage, and you'll meet the colonel, who lived through it all, to tell us the story. When the U.S. went to war with Iran this past February, it was by sea, by land, but mostly from the air. Broadly, we had flown about 13 ,000 missions up to this point. We had air superiority, but clearly we weren't flying over Kansas.

3:05Admiral Brad Cooper is the American commander in charge of the war. We asked him what brought the fighter jet to a mountainous area south of the city of Isfahan, close to where Iran had been keeping much of its highly enriched nuclear material. What were they doing in that area? Their mission that evening was to conduct a strike on industrial facilities related to both the drone and the missile program, not related to the Isfahan nuclear facility. The plane's mission call sign was Dude 4-4. It was an F-15E, a type of two-seat fighter that's been a workhorse of U.S. air combat operations for decades.

3:46The$30 million jet was brought down by a shoulder-fired missile that can cost around$100 ,000. Evidence of the wreckage was shared online by Iranian media. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was woken up Thursday night with the news. When you heard that an American fighter jet was down behind enemy lines in Iran, what went through your mind? Probably, you know, you always knew that was possible. And so immediately it's to the next steps. Are they okay? Does Iran know that? And, you know, whether they're alive or not, we're going to go get them. That day was just another day in the war for us until the moment where we got hit by an Iranian weapon.

4:37This is Bravo, one of the two officers shot down over Iran. Neither has spoken publicly until now. I think the best way I've been able to describe that moment was getting hit by a freight train. We've agreed to call the weapons systems officer by his mission call sign, Bravo, due to security threats from Iran. We do all we can to try to save the aircraft. It was evident that that wasn't possible. And soon thereafter, we ejected and found ourselves floating over the heart of Iran. So within seconds, you're ejecting. That's how quick the decision is. It is. I will be thankful to my dying day for my pilot and crewmate, Alpha, for saving our lives and ejecting us.

5:29After they ejected, Alpha and Bravo found themselves five miles apart, separated and alone on the ground in the rugged Iranian desert. Alpha landed safely. Bravo was lucky to be alive. My parachute was damaged in the initial attack at one point when I looked up and saw no parachute. That was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. So I paused right then, and I prayed, Lord, you will be done, but if I'm getting through this, I need help. While you're in the air. Yeah. Is that almost like free-falling, or how would you describe that? Free-falling is a good way to put it. I wasn't focused on the speed at which I was falling.

6:32I was instead focused on trying to correct the problems that were in front of me and doing anything I could to unfurl or pull pieces of the parachute loose. We'll never know just how fast Bravo was falling. But we do know the military trains to survive hard landings. So how fast do you think you were going when you hit the ground? Professionals, based on my description and the injuries that I had, The professionals think I hit the ground going somewhere between 70 and 100 miles an hour. How did you survive that? A modern-day miracle. I believe that it's a testament to God's provision in my life to bring me through that moment in a way that didn't prevent injuries but prevented any catastrophic injuries that would have affected my ability to survive.

7:25The fall broke Bravo's back. He also sustained a broken arm, broken shoulder, sprained ankle, and was bleeding from cuts and scrapes to his head and face. I had injuries, but we all trained to adapt and overcome the things that we're faced with. I moved as quickly as I could, despite the injuries, away from the place that I landed. It's dark, right? And can you tell me what you see around you? It is dark, but much like early morning hunting trips, you know, the sun starts to come up and you can start to perceive elements of the environment around you. Iran is the size of Alaska. And in the heart of Iran, where we were, there are high desert valleys, but also amazing craggly cliffs.

8:16And so I find myself in one of those valleys with cliffs on either side. Bravo told us the safest place for him to go was up. So he quickly made the decision, despite his broken bones, to hike and climb up a 7 ,000-foot ridgeline. Given your injuries, how did you find the strength to make it up the mountain? Never let a lack of motivation put you on Iranian TV. You were thinking that? Absolutely. Soon after the crash, an Iranian news anchor announced a bounty for the capture of the Americans. Videos emerged on the Internet of armed groups hunting for the downed crew. I can tell you for a fact that they were looking for me.

9:06According to U.S. military sources, Iranian forces got to within a few hundred meters of Bravo. There was clear intent out of the Iranian ground force to come find those two guys. General Dan Kane is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former fighter pilot himself. When you think about the risk of them being potentially trotted through someplace downtown in Tehran on TV, that's not a fun thing for anybody. We were tracking Iranian forces like BBs. There were about 1 ,500 within a 10-mile radius, and we were watching them very closely. Six hours in, the U.S. had its eye on Alpha, the pilot.

9:47This is declassified video of the risky daytime raid to pick him up. Two helicopters of the 21 aircraft deployed. Videos posted on social media showed American helicopters taking fire. It was a gunfight, all the way in and all the way out. But they got Alpha back, and then we began to immediately, I mean, you're celebrating that Alpha's back, but you realize the job's only half done. Bravo was still missing. Alpha's rescue force attempted to also locate him, but was unsuccessful and eventually withdrew. Then, as night fell on that first day in Iran, a message from Bravo. When were you first able to send a signal?

10:31As soon as I found a spot that I felt provided some concealment, I started working toward communication. What did you say in that message? When I got to the moment where I could review and think about all that I'd gone through, I sent God is good as a recognition of all that he had brought me through. There was a, I'm hurt, I'm moving, and there was a God is good message that came in there. Now we knew he was alive, he's moving, okay, let's keep planning. There was the thought of maybe going on Friday night first, but it just didn't line up. That was a really tough decision. I'll never forget being in the situation room and saying, okay, I guess we're going to roll 24, which means, hey, Bravo's going to be out there for basically 24 hours more.

11:23Bravo would have to survive with almost no water and no food in the wind and the cold of the high mountain desert for another full day. In the end, it was the CIA that played a pivotal role, launching a multi-pronged campaign, which included deception to confuse Iranian forces and top-secret technology to pinpoint Bravo's exact location. To clear the way for his rescue, American bombers and drones hit Iran's Revolutionary Guard forces nearby, as seen in this newly declassified video. Nearly two days after Dude 4-4 went down, it was time to go in for Bravo. And how many special operators did that involve?

12:09That second operation had about 92 people on the ground. This would be the first U.S. boots on the ground in 46 years. In Iran? In Iran. We had about several hundred in the air, and there were probably 3 ,000 to 5 ,000 supporting overall. It was an operation inside an operation. So in order to get out, one, there were close to 100 other service members involved in risking their lives on the ground. Norah, I think what you need to know is we would have sent more to go get the backseater. I don't know the specifics of what they sent, but I'm glad they sent it. The force came in on two large search and rescue planes and landed on a makeshift desert airstrip.

12:51They then unloaded small little bird helicopters capable of reaching Bravo on the ridgeline several miles away. This is Bravo on the Ridgeline, waiting to be picked up. The Pentagon declassified this video of the rescue. We asked General Kane to take us through it. Well, we're looking at a feed from an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance asset. That's 4-4 Bravo up there, I'm quite sure. And we've got two special forces folks coming forward, and it looks like they're bringing them out. The two service members on either side of Bravo were elite Air Force pararescue operators known in the military as PJs.

13:35The moment a PJ showed up to me on that ridgeline was one of the greatest moments of my life. And I don't know how to say it any more clearly than thank you for all that they did. What did your rescuers say when they got to you? The specific conversation, I think I'll leave for another time as I don't want to release anything that's not just my story to tell. What did you say to them? Let's go. Bravo was in American hands, but not out of danger. Back at the makeshift airstrip, the rescue plane's landing gear was stuck in the desert sand, and the planes could not take off. You had more than 90 service members on the ground that then needed to be rescued.

14:21We had more than 90 of America's most elite service members on the ground, and our focus at that point was to make sure we got them safely out. It took a clandestine unit of the U.S. Air Force to get Bravo and the 90-plus special operators out of Iran. The U.S. then bombed its own marooned aircraft, so no technology fell into Iranian hands. Fifty hours after being shot down, Bravo was safe, rescued as the sun rose on Easter Sunday. Back home in the U.S., his wife waited for a call. What was that call like? I was really proud of her and grateful for the strength that she showed. What do you want the American people to know about this rescue mission?

15:19This is not a story about what I went through. Instead, it's a story of the teamwork, the training, of the faith, of the decisions, the leadership to do something that will live in history as an example of what America is willing to do in order to uphold our promise and leave no man behind.

15:52G'day, I'm Justin Wolfers, host of the Platypus Economics podcast. If there's one thing I've learned from a career teaching economics, it's that your life is shaped by economic currents you'll never see. A single price tag can explain things a thousand experts can't. People who understand economics, they make better decisions in their careers, their finances, their relationships, and their communities, and I want that for you. Listen to and follow Platypus Economics, available now wherever you get your podcasts.

16:23Presidents have been pardoning criminals since George Washington. It's a constitutional power, no explanation needed. The Department of Justice does screen applicants and typically only recommends those who remorsefully seek mercy. But that's not always been the process. President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. President Clinton, Mark Rich after donations. President Biden, his son Hunter, and Anthony Fauci. President Trump? He's developed his own vetting system, pardoning political allies, including all of the January 6th rioters, as well as a string of unrepentant financial con men who argued, just like him, that they were wrongly prosecuted.

17:13How do these people get their grievances in the president's ear? Donations appear to help. And those who can pay hire pardon brokers, lawyers and lobbyists who sell their ties to the president for exorbitant fees. It's a marketplace of money and mercy. Amon Covino is seeking a pardon. Seated is his wife, Crystal, and joining them at this Virginia hotel lounge are lobbyists Jacob Wohl and Jack Berkman, who don't know they're being recorded as they pitch their services as pardon brokers. Look, you can't just submit a pardon application. It doesn't work that way. Ammon is a felon. A whole body tensed at once.

18:00The Covinos run several zoos and aquariums. A decade ago, he was convicted of illegal wildlife trafficking and served 23 months in prison. He applied for a pardon, taking the regular route through the Justice Department. We just filled out the form. It's a three-page form. And what happened? When the pardons came out, we were on the list of rejections. So we asked him to try again the new way. Why? We had wanted to interview brokers who promised pardon seekers they can circumvent the Justice Department for a hefty fee. What they do is not illegal, yet none would talk to us. So he asked Ammon to engage with these access merchants as if he's reapplying for a pardon and let our cameras follow him.

18:50First, he emailed a dozen of these brokers. How fast did they get back to you? Some got right away and some within a day. Right away, yes, exclamation point, exclamation point. We are the people that can help you do that. And I kept saying, this feels illegal. I get on my AI and say, is this illegal? No, this is how it's done. Thanks for taking my call. In a series of phone calls, one broker after another bragged about their close relationships to President Trump's inner circle. Okay, thanks, guys. This duo replied to Ammon's email within seven minutes. We encourage everyone to act with the highest professionalism.

19:31Jack Berkman and Jacob Wohl are Trump loyalists with a long resume of political stunts. Who's next? Who's next? We got that one. Be cool. Their robocall scheme to suppress black voting in 2020 led to a criminal conviction. Now in the pardons game, they claim they got one for this owner of a nursing home chain convicted of massive tax fraud. He paid them nearly a million dollars for their promise to reach the president. We found that some brokers charge as much as$3 million. So we decided to use hidden cameras and sent the Covinos to meet Berkman and Wohl. I don't think your pardon, I don't think it'll be too difficult.

20:15They said they would put Ammon's pardon plea in the hands of the president and push. With this particular White House, you have to put pressure on the president from all directions in a consistent way to force his hand. We literally want to put the pen in his hand and get him to sign it because he's tired of hearing about it. So when you went the regular route, how much did it cost you? A postage stamp. Postage stamp. That's it. And this would cost you$300 ,000. What did you say? What's it for? And they said, well, we have to buy tickets. We have to go to Mar-a-Lago. We have to attend events that the president's at.

20:56We have to possibly buy a$10 ,000 ticket to a fundraiser that the president is attending. They said we have to hire contractors to do certain things. Influencers. Influencers that know other people that can put us in the vicinity of the people that can make a difference. What we do is we mobilize members of Congress to call him. We use certain influencers who have regular meetings to call him. And we put him in a pincer movement. Berkman and Wohl made a similar pitch to Boozy Badass, a rapper with a lengthy criminal record after he was convicted on a gun charge. This is what I was led to believe.

21:39If you come with this money, you will get a pardon. How much did you give them up front? $600 ,000. Yeah. We have some texts that they sent to your lawyer. This text listed the influential people they supposedly recruited. Laura Loomer, Erica Kirk, Mike Johnson, he's the Speaker of the House. Another text, the broker mentions Natalie Harp. She's the executive assistant that's very close to the president and suggests that she's going to personally hand your application to the president. Yeah, yeah. I just thought, I mean, this is the way it's done. I'm paying these guys, you know, and they're going to make it happen.

22:28They didn't make it happen. Boozy didn't get his pardon. As for the four people they claimed to know, they denied any involvement in the case. Boozy's contract with the brokers stipulated that if he wasn't pardoned, he'd get half his money back. But they won't pay, claiming the contract is invalid and denying they sent the text. The rapper is suing. I said, just return it. You didn't get my part. And it's a bunch of BS. And they were so cocky. There's definitely a lot of money flowing around, and that makes a Petri dish for corruption. Law professor Mark Osler of the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota has spent the past 15 years helping indigent felons apply for pardons.

23:18Now, he says, they're locked out of the system. People think, well, if I can get to this person who can find the president at Mar-a-Lago, if I can pay a million dollars to this friend of a White House counsel, then I will have a shot. And that is not a system. That's something different entirely. It's anarchy. In the new system, no expression of remorse that you know of. Well, in fact, what seems to have been a winning tactic for some people is exactly the opposite, saying the people who were wrong were the people who accused me that I have been a victim of a weaponized Department of Justice. This is a vicious group of people that were in this office before us.

24:04Berkman and Wohl told the Covinos to tap into the president's grievances and say that Ammon was a victim of a weaponized prosecution. It's a question of reminding the president this is an Obama prosecution that never should have happened. He told them this White House vets cases differently. So like Trump makes his own decisions, he relies very little on DOJ. So with Trump, DOJ is... It's an afterthought. Until nine days ago, Ed Martin, a Trump appointee, ran the pardon office at DOJ, where 16 ,000 applications are awaiting a decision. People pay$300 ,000, a million dollars,$3 million to these brokers to get the application before the president.

24:52Meanwhile, all these other people that you look at at the Department of Justice, they are not getting their pardons. And is that a fair system? I've not seen, I reject your characterization of the system. I've not seen it. I've not heard it. And I sat with a thousand people in the last year in my office and I listened to them tell, and some of them were ended up with clemency. Some of them were pardoned. We checked. About 70 % of President Trump's clemencies in his second term have not gone through DOJ. If you include the January 6th rioters, that goes up to 92%. And we noticed that some pardons came after well-timed donations or a business deal.

25:35Take, for example, this businessman who was sent to prison for fraud. He conned investors with this video of the first zero-emission truck driving along. It was actually a fake, rolling down a hill. After he and his wife donated almost$2 million to support Trump's re-election, he was pardoned. This CEO failed to prevent money laundering on his crypto exchange. He was pardoned after his company, Binance, boosted a Trump family crypto venture, though both sides deny any connection to the pardon. And this health care executive, convicted of tax crimes, was pardoned after his mother paid a million dollars to attend a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser.

26:25A pardon seeker going to Mar-a-Lago and joining a fundraising event where you had to pay money and then getting a pardon. Why isn't that a quid pro quo? Why isn't that pay to play? I don't know about those examples, but I would just say the prerogative, again, the presidential prerogative, it's in the Constitution, it's complete, it's plenary. When people say there's brokers, there's quid pro quo, I've never seen it. I haven't seen it. I haven't heard it. Ed, the point is they're going around you. Well, I... And the whole point, they're bragging about going around you. I just don't see any evidence of some magical brokers.

27:07I think people are trying to make money. So are you saying that these brokers, they're con men? They're snake oil salesmen. They're swamp salesmen. What do you want? What word do you want? We want to do this. I think we can help you. After we notified Jack Berkman and Jacob Wohl of our hidden camera operation, A sting operation client, a fake client. A sting run by you, right? They agreed to sit down with us to discuss the new pardon economy. There's nothing corrupt about it. There's nothing improper about it. It seems that you have to have money to get a pardon these days. We don't work for free any more than you do, right?

27:44You're well paid for what you do. We're well paid for what I do. Navigating Washington, as you well know, is not an easy thing. The average person, the average rich person, they need help doing that. How would the president become aware of these cases unless some... Through the normal way that presidents have done it for 100 years or more. Well, lobbyists have been hired for two centuries to do just that. People have gone through a system that has been set up. You think there weren't lobbyists working on pardons in the Obama administration or the Biden administration? There have always been lawyers who are willing to prepare a clemency petition, often for a couple thousand dollars.

28:17You know, what's changed is the amount of money that people are charging. Professor Osler hopes the pardon system isn't beyond repair. We have learned that the White House has become sensitive to the perception that the president is selling pardons. All the brokers warn the Covinos to avoid donating. You can't blame people who want to get out of prison for doing what they're told works. But I can blame the people who are making that the system. So it's the brokers and the lobbyists and the lawyers in this game? It's really, in the end, it falls on the administration. Ooh, look at that bike. The Covinos told us the pardon economy feels like cheating.

29:07It feels unfair. It feels unfair. Let's say the money was not an issue for you, that$300 ,000 was just fine. Would you do it? Yes. I don't like the fact that you have to pay for such a huge amount of money because of who you know, but if that's how the game's played, then that's how the game's played. The White House told us, quote, anyone spending money to lobby for pardons is foolishly wasting their money, adding, quote, President Trump performs his constitutional duties in an ethically sound manner and to suggest so otherwise is either ill-informed or malicious.