Trevor Milton is an American entrepreneur best known for founding Nikola Corporation, the electric and hydrogen-powered truck company. His wealth rose dramatically during Nikola’s early public-market success, with Forbes estimating his fortune at about $3.1 billion in September 2020, but that figure does not represent his current wealth.

Milton was convicted in 2022 of securities and wire fraud and sentenced to four years in prison in December 2023. President Donald Trump granted him a full pardon in March 2025, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s official clemency list confirms the pardon.

Introduction

Trevor Milton is a businessman whose career became closely linked to the rise, collapse and controversy surrounding Nikola Corporation.

Born in Utah in 1982, Milton built a reputation as an entrepreneur interested in transportation and alternative-energy technology. He founded Nikola, promoted hydrogen and battery-powered commercial vehicles and helped take the company public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company.

His success made him extremely wealthy on paper. Forbes reported that Milton was worth about $3.1 billion in 2020, when Nikola’s market value was substantially higher than it later became. That valuation changed dramatically as the company faced regulatory scrutiny, litigation and Milton’s departure.

His story later became a major U.S. corporate fraud case. A federal jury convicted him in October 2022, and he was sentenced to four years in prison in 2023. In March 2025, President Donald Trump granted Milton a full pardon.

What Happened to Trevor Milton?

Milton’s career changed sharply after allegations concerning statements he had made about Nikola’s technology.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Milton in July 2021, alleging that he repeatedly distributed false and misleading information about Nikola’s products and technological achievements. The SEC said Milton communicated with investors through social media and other public channels.

The criminal case eventually went to trial.

In October 2022, a federal jury found Milton guilty on one count of securities fraud and two counts of wire fraud. He was acquitted on another securities-fraud count.

On December 18, 2023, U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos sentenced Milton to four years in federal prison. The sentence also included three years of supervised release, a $1 million fine and forfeiture of property in Utah.

The legal story later took another turn when President Trump pardoned Milton in March 2025.

The Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney now lists Trevor Milton among the clemency recipients under Trump’s second administration, identifying the March 27, 2025, pardon and the underlying securities and wire-fraud convictions.

Key Details About Trevor Milton

Full name: Trevor Robert Milton
Born: April 6, 1982
Birthplace: Layton, Utah, United States
Age in 2026: 44
Nationality: American
Known for: Founder and former CEO/executive chairman of Nikola Corporation
Education: GED; attended Utah Valley University but did not complete a degree
Wife: Chelsey Bergmann
Religion/background: Raised in the Latter-day Saint tradition
Nikola founded: 2014
Criminal conviction: Securities and wire fraud, 2022
Sentence: Four years in prison, 2023
Presidential pardon: March 2025
Historic Forbes wealth estimate: About $3.1 billion in 2020
Current net worth: Not reliably established by a current authoritative source

Forbes lists Milton’s education as Utah Valley University dropout and notes that he obtained a GED after leaving high school.

Trevor Milton Net Worth

The question of trevor milton net worth requires particular caution because his wealth changed significantly after Nikola’s extraordinary rise and subsequent decline.

Forbes estimated Milton’s net worth at approximately $3.1 billion in September 2020. That was largely connected to his ownership interest in Nikola at a time when the company’s market valuation was extremely high.

That number should not be described as his current 2026 net worth.

A person’s paper wealth based on publicly traded shares can change dramatically with a company’s stock price. Milton also faced substantial legal obligations and disputes following his departure from Nikola.

In October 2023, an arbitration panel awarded Nikola approximately $165 million plus interest against Milton. Nikola later said it was pursuing avenues to recover the award.

As a result, there is no sound basis for simply taking Milton’s 2020 billionaire valuation and presenting it as his present fortune.

The most accurate answer is that Trevor Milton’s current net worth is not publicly verified.

The $3.1 billion figure is useful as a historical measure of his wealth at the height of Nikola’s market valuation, not as a current balance-sheet figure.

Early Life and Education

Milton was born in Layton, Utah, in 1982.

His father, William Milton, worked for Union Pacific, while his mother, Sallie, worked as a realtor. His family moved to Las Vegas during his childhood before later returning to Utah.

Milton has described developing an interest in transportation and mechanical systems at a young age.

His formal education was relatively limited compared with many corporate executives. Forbes reports that he was a high school dropout who obtained a GED and later attended Utah Valley University for about one semester before leaving.

Rather than following a traditional university-to-corporate path, Milton moved into sales and entrepreneurship.

Trevor Milton Religion

Public biographical accounts identify Milton with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

His religious background was also connected to his early adult years. Forbes reported that he served an LDS mission in Brazil, where he developed Portuguese-language skills and gained exposure to a different culture.

Because religion is a personal matter, it is more accurate to describe this as his publicly reported religious background rather than make assumptions about his present personal beliefs or level of religious participation.

Trevor Milton’s Business Career

Before Nikola, Milton founded dHybrid Systems, a company involved in natural-gas fueling technology for trucks.

Forbes reported that Worthington Industries acquired dHybrid Systems in 2014. Milton subsequently moved toward the concept that became Nikola.

Nikola was founded in 2014 and pursued electric and hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles.

The company attracted major attention from investors and the automotive industry. It eventually went public through a merger with VectoIQ in 2020.

At its peak, Nikola’s market valuation helped make Milton a billionaire on paper.

However, his time at the company was short-lived. Milton resigned as executive chairman in September 2020 amid mounting scrutiny over claims about Nikola’s technology. Forbes records his departure and the subsequent criminal conviction as major turning points in his career.

The Nikola Controversy

The SEC’s case provides an important official record of the allegations.

In July 2021, the SEC accused Milton of repeatedly making false or misleading statements concerning Nikola’s products, technology and business prospects. The agency said these statements were distributed through social media and other public communications.

Nikola itself also entered into a $125 million settlement with the SEC over the company’s conduct. The SEC later created a Fair Fund intended to distribute collected money to harmed investors.

Milton’s criminal case was separate from the company’s regulatory settlement.

The federal jury’s 2022 verdict established his criminal liability on the three counts for which he was convicted.

Trevor Milton’s Wife and Family

Milton married Chelsey Bergmann in 2017.

Compared with his highly publicized professional career, information about his family life has remained relatively limited.

Public reporting has identified Bergmann as his wife, while the couple has generally maintained a comparatively private personal profile.

Milton’s parents and siblings have also appeared in biographical reporting, but they have not occupied the same public spotlight as the entrepreneur himself.

Trevor Milton Height

Height is frequently included in online biographies of public figures, but Milton’s exact height is not reliably documented in authoritative public records.

Some websites publish estimates around 6 feet or slightly above, but these figures do not have a sufficiently strong primary source to be presented as fact.

For accuracy, his height should therefore be described as not officially verified rather than assigning a precise number.

The 2025 Presidential Pardon

One of the most significant recent developments in Milton’s story occurred in March 2025.

President Donald Trump granted Milton a full pardon after his conviction and prison sentence.

Reuters reported that Milton announced the pardon publicly, while the White House later confirmed it. The Justice Department’s clemency database provides official confirmation that Milton received a pardon on March 27, 2025.

The pardon is an important distinction in understanding Milton’s current legal status.

It does not change the historical fact that a federal jury convicted him in 2022. Instead, it represents presidential clemency granted after that conviction.

What Officials and Organizations Said

The SEC’s position was that Milton had misled investors about Nikola’s technology and business prospects. Its 2021 complaint alleged that he used public communications to promote misleading information about the company.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York took the matter further through the criminal prosecution. Following Milton’s conviction, prosecutors described the case as a warning to startup executives about misleading investors.

Nikola subsequently pursued financial claims against its former founder. Its filings reported the approximately $165 million arbitration award plus interest.

Why Trevor Milton’s Story Matters

Milton’s career offers a broader lesson about the relationship between startup promotion, public markets and investor expectations.

Nikola attracted enormous attention while its technology was still being developed. Milton became a highly visible spokesperson for the company, and the company’s valuation rose rapidly.

The subsequent criminal case demonstrated the legal risks associated with making inaccurate statements to investors.

His story also illustrates why a historical billionaire ranking should not automatically be confused with present-day wealth.

The $3.1 billion Forbes estimate from 2020 reflected the value of Milton’s holdings during Nikola’s extraordinary market rise. It does not establish what he owns today.

What Happens Next?

Milton’s presidential pardon is now part of his established legal history.

His future business activities are separate from the historical Nikola case. Publicly available reporting has linked him to aviation ventures after his departure from the electric-truck company, but claims about his current wealth should continue to be treated cautiously unless supported by reliable financial records.

For readers searching for trevor milton net worth, the key point is simple: his wealth once reached billionaire levels on paper, but there is no reliable current public figure that can establish his exact net worth in 2026.

His legacy remains tied to both sides of his career: the rapid rise of Nikola as a high-profile clean-transportation startup and the criminal case that followed.

FAQs

How old is Trevor Milton?

Trevor Milton was born on April 6, 1982, making him 44 years old in 2026.

What is Trevor Milton’s net worth?

His current net worth is not publicly verified. Forbes estimated his wealth at approximately $3.1 billion in 2020, when Nikola’s valuation was much higher. That historical estimate should not be treated as his current fortune.

Who is Trevor Milton’s wife?

Trevor Milton is married to Chelsey Bergmann. Public reports indicate that they married in 2017.

What company did Trevor Milton found?

Milton founded Nikola Corporation, a company focused on electric and hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles. The company later became publicly traded through a merger with VectoIQ.

Did Trevor Milton go to prison?

Milton was sentenced to four years in prison in December 2023 after his federal conviction for securities and wire fraud. He was later granted a presidential pardon in March 2025.

What was Trevor Milton convicted of?

A federal jury convicted Milton in October 2022 on one count of securities fraud and two counts of wire fraud. He was acquitted on another securities-fraud count.

What is Trevor Milton’s religion?

Public biographical sources describe Milton as having been raised in the Latter-day Saint tradition. He also served an LDS mission in Brazil as a young man.

How tall is Trevor Milton?

There is no reliably verified official height for Milton. Online estimates vary, so a precise height should not be presented as confirmed.

What happened to Nikola Corporation?

Nikola faced major financial and legal difficulties after Milton’s departure. The company later entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2025. The SEC says its dispute with Nikola’s bankruptcy estate was subsequently settled, with the estate paying the SEC $4 million in December 2025.

Sources

This article was researched using primary and high-authority sources, including:

Editorial note: The article does not present an exact 2026 net-worth figure or height as fact because neither is supported by a sufficiently authoritative current source. The historical Forbes wealth figure of approximately $3.1 billion is explicitly identified as a 2020 estimate, not current wealth.

🚀 Trevor Milton Net Worth, Biography, Age, Wife, Family, Education, Career and Legacy