Ozy Media, Inc.

Ozy Media, Inc. was a digital news and entertainment startup founded by Carlos Watson that was convicted alongside its founder for defrauding investors and lenders. The company promoted itself to investors with false claims, including fabricated partnerships with Google and Oprah Winfrey. The scheme came to public attention in October 2021 when the New York Times reported that Ozy's chief operating officer had impersonated a YouTube executive on a conference call with Goldman Sachs to secure investment. The company abruptly shut down following that report. Ozy Media, Inc. was convicted by a jury in Brooklyn federal court in July 2024 on charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Its sentencing as a corporate entity was notable; presidential clemency extended to a company as a distinct legal entity is highly unusual in American history.