Strong Studios chairman David Ozer has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding an investor in the TV series “Safehaven” of $214,486.
Ozer admitted to defrauding Ravenwood Productions by creating fake invoices and a forged letter from his accountant in an attempt to make the expenses appear legitimate, according to the plea agreement.
In a statement issued by the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, it said: “In fact, Ozer's accountant did not write the letter, the content of the letter was false, and Ozer used his accountant's name without his permission.”
Under the plea agreement, Ozer agreed not to appeal if his prison term was less than 27 months.
Ozer previously worked at Sony, Starz and as president of IDW Entertainment. Ravenwood sued him in April, accusing him of diverting money from the show to pay for his personal expenses, including his mortgage.
The lawsuit also names several other defendants, including parent company Strong Global Entertainment and several company officials.
Kevin V. Duncan, Ravenwood's principal, reached a settlement of the lawsuit against all parties except Ozer on July 22. The settlement allowed Ravenwood to take full control of Safehaven so that post-production could be completed and the show sold to a distributor.
“Safehaven” is a 10-episode supernatural television series, based on the 2017 graphic novel by James Seale. The series was filmed in Canada in 2022, but faced severe financial difficulties.
Duncan eventually agreed to take out a $6.4 million production loan, to protect the show from foreclosure by the lender.
“Every production has its challenges,” Seal said in a statement released on July 22. “But thanks to the support and commitment of my producing partner Kevin V. Duncan, this issue is now behind us and audiences can finally dive into the world of Safehaven, a compelling story with a host of wonderful new faces and tremendous potential for the franchise.”
The FBI has investigated the criminal case. Ozer, who lives in New York, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
