A high-profile U.S. sports executive pardoned by Donald Trump in December, following an indictment for allegedly rigging a bidding process, has bought a minority stake in Championship club Bolton Wanderers.Tim Leiweke was accused by the Department of Justice last summer of orchestrating a conspiracy to put off a rival bid for the construction of a sports arena at the University of Texas so that his own company, Oak View Group (OVG), could win the $375million contract.In the wake of the indictment, Leiweke stepped down as OVG’s chief executive and the company agreed to pay $15m in penalties for its part in the arena scheme. But, six months later, while DoJ antitrust lawyers were preparing their case against him, Leiweke was quietly pardoned by Trump, with no explanation as to why he was shutting the corruption case down.The following day, Leiweke gave a statement to the Sports Business Journal that said he did not “have the words to adequately convey my profound gratitude to President Trump”, before adding that the pardon had given him and his family “a new lease on life with which we will be grateful and good stewards”.Leiweke has wasted little time on delivering on that promise. In May, the 69-year-old invested €100million ($114m; £85m) in newly-promoted Serie A side Venezia, with his daughter Francesca Bodie becoming the club’s president. Last month, he was blocked from buying a 16 per cent stake Benfica, as the Portuguese club’s board raised concerns about being part of a multi-club group.