President Donald Trump granted a pardon to former Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, according to documents shared by the Justice Department on Wednesday, just months after the longtime live entertainment executive had been indicted on bid-rigging allegations back in July.
“I do not have the words to adequately convey my profound gratitude to President Trump,” Leiweke 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.”
Leiweke stepped down from his CEO post after the indictment was announced, with the DOJ accusing him of violating section one of the Sherman Act by allegedly conspiring with the CEO of rival company Legends Hospitality from February 2018 through at least June 2024 over the development of the Moody Center at the University of Texas.
Reps for Leiweke and the DOJ didn’t immediately respond to request for comment on the pardon.
Oak View Group, which Leiweke had co-founded alongside music industry titan Irving Azoff back in 2015, is one of the most prominent venue developers in the industry, with a portfolio that includes Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs and the UBS Arena in New York. OVG, which wasn’t formally accused of wrongdoing in the DOJ’s indictment, agreed to pay $15 million in penalties over the claims. Legends paid $1.5 million.
Just yesterday, OVG announced Chris Granger as the company’s new CEO.
“We are happy for Tim that he can now put this matter behind him,” a representative for Oak View Group said in a statement Wednesday. “OVG has remained steadfastly focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients under the leadership of our CEO Chris Granger.”
Dec. 3, 2025 6:46 p.m. Updated with a statement from Tim Leiweke.
