Carlos Watson: From Media Maker to Convict

The founder of Ozy Media, Carlos Watson, was sentenced to nearly ten years in prison after a jury found him guilty in July of deceiving investors about the finances of his now-defunct startup and questionable deals with Google and Oprah Winfrey. The 116-month prison sentence was announced by U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee at a hearing in Brooklyn federal court. Prosecutors accused Watson and his California-based news and entertainment company of falsifying financial information and viewership numbers, inventing contracts, and inflating revenue forecasts to attract investors. Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement: "Watson chose deception over transparency in his quest for the illusion of business success and personal fame at any cost." Watson, who previously worked as a cable news anchor and investment banker, had pleaded not guilty. His lawyer argued that Watson was misled by his employees and had no knowledge of their misconduct. The prosecution had sought a 17-year prison term, emphasizing that he led a years-long, brazen fraud scheme without taking responsibility. Watson's defense argued not to punish him beyond the mandatory two years for identity theft, claiming he was innocent and the case was wrongfully brought. His lawyer, Andrew Frisch, stressed that Watson's genuine commitment to Ozy's mission distinguished him from typical fraud cases driven by greed. "What sets Mr. Watson apart are his motivation and his vision," Frisch said. Founded in 2013, Ozy collapsed in 2021 after questions arose about viewership numbers and it was revealed that a senior staff member had impersonated a YouTube executive to deceive Goldman Sachs banks.