US President Donald Trump pardoned a key figure in the Justice Department's antitrust investigation into the ticketing and concert industry after a golf game at Mar-a-Lago on November 16, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The newspaper noted that Trump had previously promised to crack down on violations in the ticketing and concert industries to lower ticket prices for fans.
Former Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy, a lawyer for Tim Leivik and a golfer, raised the issue with Trump, pointing out the unfairness of the charges.
Levik, 68, a sports mogul and co-founder of Oak View Group, a business partner of Live Nation Entertainment, was accused of rigging the $375 million bid for the University of Texas.
The pardon expunged the only criminal prosecution in the Justice Department's broad campaign to lower ticket prices, which also accuses Live Nation Entertainment in monopoly management after its merger with Ticketmaster.
Levik refused to cooperate in the civil suit, citing his right not to incriminate himself, and is planning a new business venture. The White House has confirmed Trump's authority to make such decisions.