Amy Povah is not a new name as her story has been featured in the 2016 documentary Incarcerating US. She has been known for her fight against the US Judiciary system which has falsely accused her, sentenced her under Conspiracy Act. Her sentence was reduced by President Bill Clinton in 200o after she served more than 9 years sentence.
Donald Trump during the last day of his Presidency granted a full pardon to Amy. Amy since her release has been working as the founder of CAN-DO Foundation which fights to provide clemency to women who have been wrongly sentenced or severely punished for the crime they may not have committed.
Amy is today a successful prisoner advocate, film-maker, writer, speaker, and activist. She has become a public figure appearing as one of the panels at Yale University, Pepperdine University, Vanderbilt University, Washington State University, New York University, Columbus School of Law, on Capitol Hill.
Amy Povah Age, Birthday, Parents, Siblings
Amy was born on April 13 of 1960 as Amy Ralston Povah in Los Angeles, California. She went to Charleston High School (Arkansas). David Ralston is the cousin of Amy. Amy has not revealed much about her parents, though she has shared pictures of her mother. She has shared the story of how she used to call her mother from prison on every holiday and how her mother used to mourn for her.
Amy was very enthusiastic from the beginning as she wanted to become a model. She never knew that she would be wrongly convicted and sentenced to jail for more than 9 years. When filing an affidavit in the court, David, cousin of Amy wanted to testify for her. Similarly, Paul who was a close friend of Amy’s parents wanted to testify for her. But they were never given the opportunity.
Amy has become a different accomplished woman today who is working and fighting for men and women like her who were wrongly convicted and sentenced. Her parents are very proud of her.
Amy Povah Education
Amy went to Charleston High School in Arkansas after which she attended the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in 1979. she studied Business Administration and Management and during her college days, she put an antenna into the end of the wall phone unplugging traditional coil extension cord as she knew in the future days everything would go wireless. But she could not complete her education as soon after a year, she moved to Dallas to pursue her carer n modeling. However, she is determined to complete her degree shortly.
Amy Povah Career Biography: CAN-DO
Amy pursued her career in modeling but after her marriage, she worked as Vice President of Sales in her then Husband’s company Commonwealth Credit Corp – later known as Commonwealth Bancorp – a second mortgage home-lending institution. However, at the age of 28, she was imprisoned for the illegal operation to manufacture ecstasy. After 9 years of the sentence, her sentence period of 24 years was pardoned b Bill Clinton in 2000.
After release, she founded CAN-DO(Clemency for All Nonviolent Drug Offenders) Foundation. Her first work was to release her friend and roommate in prison Lau Ching Chin, an Asian woman. She was wrongly sentenced to 17 years just for passing a message to her boyfriend on the telephone. Amy worked and advocated for her and secured her clemency during the presidency of Bill Clinton. Thus CAN-DO foundation in 2004 became 501 (c)(3). since then, the non-profit organization is working for leniency in the sentence of nonviolent drug offenders and educate the public about conspiracy law, and advocates for law reform.
As of 2020, CAN-DO has helped more than 100 prisoners receive clemency and some notable names include Charles Duke Tanner, Richard Dickie Lynn, Michael Meeko Thompson, Crystal Munoz, Alice Marie Johnson, John Bolen, and Lavonne Roach.
Amy has been featured for 1998 book Shattered Lives: Portraits from America’s Drug War, her story was featured in the 2016 documentary Incarcerating US. She also produced and directed the 2013 documentary film 420: The Documentary.
She also worked as Chief executive officer at Harm Reduction Productions for nearly 7 years from 2013 to 2020. she is self-employed now and currently living in Malibu California.
Amy Povah Prison, Sentenced, Clemency
Amy was 28 when she was arrested for the first time and she was convicted by the federal government of Texas for conspiracy in an MDMA trafficking case in 1991. she was sentenced to 24 years and after 9 years of imprisonment, she was released after Bill Clinton granted her clemency.
She clearly remembers the day when federal agents burst into her home demanding she either cooperate with them in her then-husband’s investigation of Sandy Pofahl for his illegal manufacturing of Ecstacy drugs. She was required to wear a wire and help the federal agents to retrieve all information regarding Sandy’s organization.
She refused to sell out and as a result, she was indicted for Conspiracy. She was also charged based on the bail money she collected for her husband’s release after his arrest.
Even in prison, she never stopped fighting for herself and she was able to attract media attention for the injustice on her case. the major role that was played in reducing the sentence of Amy was by the Glamour Magazine which featured a 6-page article on her. She also launched a massive letter-writing campaign assisted by her friends and activists. This result in 17 senate and House members writing letters for Amy’s clemency. She was granted clemency after spending 9 years in prison in July 2000.
Amy Povah Trump Pardon
Former President Donald Trump issued 73 pardons and 70 commutations and announced a list of those who received clemency with less than 12 hours remaining in his four-year term. Trump granted a full pardon to Amy Povah and she has thanked Trump for giving her permanent freedom.
Amy Povah Married. Husband, Children
Amy served 9 years of sentence in prison because of her husband Charles Fredrick Sandy Pofahl. Amy didn’t know Sandy was a kingpin and was operating his MDMA enterprise. During their Guatemala visit with both sets of parents, Sandy was busy meeting with associates while Amy was busy sightseeing.
Sandy was arrested in Germany and on his request, Amy collected bail money for his release. It became the most critical reason for Amy’s 24-year sentence as the bail money she collected was in huge amounts and federal agents assumed she collected the funds from the drug money of her husband. Sandy spent 4 years of sentence in Germany and the US gave him only 3 years probation for his cooperation.
Amy has been long separated from her husband now and she has no children. She is currently busy working, serving, and fighting for the rightful justice of men and women who are wrongly and severely sentenced for the crime they have not known or committed.
Amy Povah Net Worth
After her release in 2000, Amy founded a non-profit organization CAN-DO which has gained a high reputation now. She has been the president of Harm Reduction Productions for 13 years and has produced and directed a documentary. Today, her name is counted as one of the most popular prison advocates, activists, filmmakers, writers, and speakers. Her net worth today is estimated to be $500,000.
Amy Povah Social Media
Amy keeps posting pictures and shares stories regarding the work of her CAN-DO Foundation on her Instagram account candoclemency with 155 posts and 2201 followers to date.
On her Twitter account @candoclemency which she created in April 2010, she has tweeted about Lavonne Roach who is able to come after 22 years of jail sentence due to pardon granted by Donald Trump. Her Twitter account has been followed by 2,667 Followers to date.
Amy has yet again talked about clemency and pardon granted by Donald Trump on her Facebook account Amy Cando. Her post and stories have been followed by 1,319 Followers to date.
Quick Wiki Facts and Information on Amy Povah
| Full Name/Real Name | Amy Ralston Povah |
| Date of Birth/Birthday | April 13 of 1960 |
| Age | 60 |
| Birth Sign | Aries |
| Born Country | USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Hometown | Los Angeles, California |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Parents | N/A |
| Siblings | N/A |
| Profession | Filmmaker, Activist, Writer, and Speaker |
| Education(college/university) | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Husband | Charles Fredrick Sandy Pofahl |
| Children | N/A |
| Social Media | Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |
| Net Worth | $500,000 |
| Hair color | Blonde |
| Eye color | Blue |
