Trump Pardons Tim Leiweke, Former Oak View Group CEO, in Bid-Rigging Case

Former Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke has received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, according to Justice Department records released on Wednesday. This development comes just months after Leiweke faced federal charges for alleged bid-rigging in July.

Following the indictment, Leiweke resigned from his role as CEO. Authorities claimed that he had allegedly colluded with the CEO of rival company Legends Hospitality from February 2018 through at least June 2024 regarding the construction of the Moody Center at the University of Texas, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.

Neither representatives for Leiweke nor the Justice Department immediately offered comments regarding the pardon.

Oak View Group, co-founded by Leiweke and music executive Irving Azoff in 2015, is a major player in venue development, with properties including Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena, Palm Springs' Acrisure Arena, and New York's UBS Arena. While the company was not directly charged in the federal case, it agreed to pay $15 million in fines related to the allegations, while Legends Hospitality paid $1.5 million.

Just yesterday, Oak View Group announced Chris Granger as its new CEO. A company spokesperson commented, We are happy for Tim that he can now put this matter behind him. OVG remains committed to delivering outstanding results for our clients under the leadership of Chris Granger.

Author: Sophia Brooks