August 3rd 2023.
Lawyers for Black entrepreneur and Ozy Media Founder Carlos Watson asked a judge on Aug. 2 to dismiss the fraud charges against him. They claim the prosecutors have a reputation for targeting people of color, according to WALB News 10.
Lead attorney, Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., filed a motion accusing the Eastern District of New York prosecutors. He claims they have criminalized Watson for behavior normally accepted for other Silicon Valley startups. He cited examples from Buzzfeed and Vice Media.
"Their founders reportedly — and in some cases, admittedly — engaged in conduct that differs from the conduct charged in Mr. Watson's Indictment in only one way: their conduct was, by orders of magnitude, far more egregious," Sullivan wrote. "And yet they have not been indicted."
Watson, the former CEO of Ozy Media, was arrested and charged with fraud in February 2023. Black Enterprise reported he was released on a $1 million bond and was due in court in March. If convicted, the ex-media mogul will be sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum sentence of 37 years. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York called Watson a "con man whose business strategy was based on outright deceit and fraud."
Sullivan is now asking US Attorney General Merrick Garland for an update on the request for the DOJ to investigate the alleged racially biased practices within the New York District's office. Reports have begun circulating that the white prosecutors who charged Watson sought 90% of their cases against people of color since 2019.
Sullivan says this case is bigger than his client, and that "entrepreneuring while Black cannot be a crime." He also wrote that, "This defense is about more than one defendant. It is about ensuring that every American, including the 47 million who are proud African Americans, receive equal justice under the law."
Sullivan is seeking a fair outcome for Watson and a larger investigation into the practices of the Eastern District of New York prosecutors. He hopes to ensure that people of color are not targeted and treated unfairly under the law.
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