President Donald Trump has pardoned Tim Leiweke, the cofounder and former chief executive of Oak View Group (OVG), a leading developer of sports and entertainment venues. Leiweke had been indicted on federal charges alleging that he conspired to manipulate the bidding process for a multimillion-dollar arena project in Texas.
Investigators said this violated antitrust laws by undermining competition and possibly increasing costs for the public project. The charge originated from a broader Department of Justice antitrust division probe into live entertainment industry practices.
“Unfair business practices, like those employed here, make it very difficult for the American people to pursue prosperity like our founders intended,” U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas said at the time of the indictment.
Leiweke’s legal team argued the meetings were regular business discussions, not illicit agreements. The executive, who has worked in sports management for decades, helped establish OVG in 2015, specializing in arena development and operations worldwide.
The company was involved in the UBS Arena on Long Island, New York, for the New York Islanders hockey team, as well as other high-profile projects.
Leiweke served as president of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, later as CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors and other franchises. He also led Anschutz Entertainment Group, a global live events manager.
Reuters contributed to this report.
