*Former President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of Ozy Media co-founder Carlos Watson, just before he was scheduled to begin serving a nearly ten-year term.
Last summer, Watson was convicted of fraud by a Brooklyn federal jury. He was found guilty of deceiving investors through fabricated business dealings and misrepresentations.
“I am profoundly grateful to President Trump for correcting this grave injustice. His decision reflects his unwavering commitment to fairness and justice for those who have been wrongfully targeted,” Watson said in a statement released Friday.
Watson’s legal troubles stemmed from allegations that he and his company misled investors about Ozy Media’s financial health and business partnerships. Prosecutors accused the California-based digital media startup of falsely claiming deals with high-profile entities like Google and Oprah Winfrey. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York charged Watson with securities fraud and wire fraud conspiracy. While he pleaded not guilty, maintaining that he was unaware of any wrongdoing by his colleagues, the jury ultimately found him culpable.
Ozy Media, which launched in 2012 with the aim of delivering innovative political and cultural journalism, collapsed in 2021 following an exposé by The New York Times. The report revealed that Samir Rao, Ozy’s chief operating officer and Watson’s former partner, impersonated a YouTube executive during a fundraising call with Goldman Sachs. Rao later admitted to fraud and pleaded guilty to related charges. The revelations triggered federal scrutiny into Ozy’s business dealings, uncovering a broader scheme to deceive investors and raise millions through fraudulent tactics.
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Federal prosecutors asserted that between 2018 and 2021, Watson and his associates engaged in deceptive practices to secure funding, painting a misleading picture of the company’s financial stability. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace condemned Watson’s actions, stating that his continuous deception reflected a blatant disregard for legal and ethical business principles.
Watson claimed on Friday that the prosecution was “driven by a malicious campaign orchestrated by a jealous competitor at a rival media company.”
“These baseless federal cases were pursued 3,000 miles away from where OZY was based, and things went from bad to worse when a conflicted and unethical judge took control,” Watson wrote.
With Trump’s intervention, Watson will avoid the lengthy prison sentence initially imposed.
— Carlos Watson (@carloswatson) March 29, 2025
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Ozy Media Founder Carlos Watson Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
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