PresidentDonald Trumphas pardoned the former chief executive of the entertainment venue company Oak View Group months after he wasindicted on a federal conspiracy charge.
Tim Leiweke, 68, who remains a shareholder of the company after he stepped down as CEO in July, expressed his "profound gratitude" to Trump forthe pardon.
"This has been a long and difficult journey for my wife, my daughter, and me," Leiweke said in a statement Wednesday. "The President has given us a new lease on life with which we will be grateful and good stewards."
Leiweke was charged during the Trump administration.
A federal grand jury in Texasreturned an indictment in Julythat accused Leiweke of conspiring with a competitor to rig the bidding process to develop the $375 million Moody Center, a 15,000-seat arena at the University of Texas at Austin, which hosts major music events, as well as basketball and other sporting events. The would-be competitor agreed to stand down in the bidding process in exchange for subcontracts.
Leiweke pleaded not guilty, while Oak View Group agreed to pay $15 million in connection with his indictment.
David Gerger, one of Leiweke's attorneys, said in a statement that the pardon, dated Tuesday, "is the right result, and we are happy for our client and his family."
It's not clear whether Leiweke or any of his allies lobbied for the pardon.
Trumpresumed issuing pardonsin recent months after the White House paused and sought to tighten its reviews following concerns that the process had become alucrative business for lobbying and consulting firmsduring Trump's second term.
Last month, Trump pardoned Joe Lewis, a British billionaire whopleaded guilty last yearto federal insider trading charges.
He also issuedpardons that were viewed as largely symbolic to his former attorney Rudy Giulianiand 76 other people tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, including attorneys Sidney Powell, John Eastman and Kenneth Chesebro, as well as his former chief of staff Mark Meadows. None of them were convicted of federal crimes, which are shielded by the president's clemency power.
Trump has also used his executive authority to help current and former members of Congress.
On Wednesday, Trump said hewould pardonRep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who wasindicted last yearin connection with allegations that he accepted bribes from foreign entities and engaged in money laundering.
He alsocommuted the sentenceof former Rep. George Santos in October. Santos, R-N.Y., was set to serve seven years in prison afterhe pleaded guiltylast year to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.