Founder of Ozy Media

Carlos Watson

a.k.a. “Hours to Spare”

A jury convicted him of defrauding Ozy Media’s investors. He was sentenced to nearly ten years. Hours before he was due to report to prison, his sentence was commuted. So was his company’s probation.

Rap sheet

Convicted of: Conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud; aggravated identity theft [1]
Court: Eastern District of New York [1]
Sentenced: December 16, 2024: 116 months; $36,769,153.97 restitution. He was also ordered to forfeit about $60 million. [1][3]
Granted: Commutation, March 28, 2025, for him and for Ozy Media [2][3]

The receipt

PARDONMAXXING CARLOS WATSON - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wiped off the books

Prison [3] 116 months, all of it

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Gold is money that was reportedly spent near the President’s orbit. Red is what the grant wiped away. We list what was reported and when. We don’t claim one caused the other. How we count.

Timeline

July 16, 2024 The law Convicted by a jury in Brooklyn. [3]
December 16, 2024 The law Sentenced to 116 months. [1]
March 28, 2025 The pardon Sentence commuted hours before he was due to surrender. [2][3]

Detective’s notes

Commentary

Reporting doesn’t make clear whether the $36.8 million restitution order survives the commutation. The prison sentence definitely didn’t.

Puck reported that he cultivated Trump allies, including the White House pardon czar.

Sources

Clemency grants by President Donald J. Trump, 2025–present (archived Sept. 20, 2026) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney, via the Internet Archive
Signed clemency warrant: Carlos Watson U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney · March 28, 2025
Trump commutes sentence of Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson NBC News · March 28, 2025
How Ozy’s Carlos Watson secured his presidential clemency Puck