Trump pardons ex-OVG CEO Tim Leiweke months after his bid-rigging indictment, allowing the longtime entertainment executive to move forward.
Former Oak View Group (OVG) CEO Tim Leiweke has received an official pardon from President Donald Trump, just five months after the Department of Justice indicted him on federal bid-rigging charges.
The DOJ released the pardon documents on Wednesday, marking a major development in the case that had shaken the live entertainment and sports-venue industry.
Leiweke, a widely known figure in arena development and live events, expressed deep gratitude for the president’s decision.
“I do not have the words to adequately convey my profound gratitude to President Trump,” he said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter.
“This has been a long and difficult journey for my wife, my daughter, and me. The President has given us a new lease on life with which we will be grateful and good stewards.”
The indictment, announced in July, alleged that Leiweke violated section one of the Sherman Act by conspiring with the CEO of Legends Hospitality. Prosecutors claimed the two executives coordinated during the development process for the University of Texas’ Moody Center between February 2018 and June 2024.
According to the DOJ, the alleged scheme involved suppressing competition during the bidding process.
Leiweke stepped down from OVG shortly after the charges were announced. Both the DOJ and Leiweke’s representatives declined to comment further on the pardon on Wednesday.
OVG, co-founded by Leiweke and longtime music executive Irving Azoff in 2015, has built some of the most high-profile arenas in the United States, including Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Palm Springs’ Acrisure Arena and UBS Arena in New York.
While the DOJ did not accuse OVG itself of direct involvement in the alleged wrongdoing, the company agreed earlier to pay $15 million in penalties. Legends Hospitality paid $1.5 million.
The leadership shakeup at OVG continued this week as the company formally introduced industry veteran Chris Granger as its new CEO.
“We are happy for Tim that he can now put this matter behind him,” OVG said in a statement. “OVG has remained steadfastly focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients under the leadership of our CEO Chris Granger.”
Leiweke’s pardon marks one of the latest high-profile executive clemency actions from the Trump administration as it continues to address several politically and publicly scrutinized federal cases.
