Media Entities Under Scrutiny for Alleged Non-Payment, Complex Corporate Structures, and Retaliatory Tactics
A labyrinthine network of media entities, including Pleroma Media, IBT Media (International Business Times), and associated firms, is facing intense scrutiny over allegations of consistent non-payment to independent contractors, a history of financial fraud, and concerning retaliatory actions against journalists investigating their operations. The saga, which has unfolded over several years and involves millions of dollars, highlights systemic issues within a segment of the digital media landscape, raising questions about corporate accountability and the precarious position of freelance journalists.
An Investigation Unveils a Pattern of Non-Payment and Corporate Connections
The investigation began with inquiries into a pattern of contributors to various digital publications reportedly not receiving payment for their work, sometimes for months on end. Nine independent contractors, including journalists and other professionals, collectively claimed to be owed approximately $40,000 as of December 2025. These individuals, who have since ceased working for the companies, understood their primary employer to be Pleroma Media, though paychecks occasionally originated from Pleroma MGMT, IBT MGMT, or IBTimes. This initial discovery led to a deeper probe into the intertwined corporate identities operating from a single New York office building and their broader history of legal entanglements.
In June, a reporter visited 347 West Thirty-Sixth Street, a New York office building housing Pleroma Media, the International Business Times, and the law firm Anderson & Associates. The visit, intended to seek clarification, resulted in an unsettling encounter with Titus Choi, identified as the head of development for IBT Media. Choi, after an initial deferral, filmed the reporter with his phone while escorting them from the premises, demanding contact information. Subsequently, IBT Media, through Choi, filed a police report for alleged trespassing, and a letter from Simon Lee, president of Pleroma MGMT LLC, cited "safety breach" concerns. A law firm representing IBT Media later issued a cease and desist letter, threatening civil claims for injunctive relief, an aggressive posture that underscored the companies’ defensiveness.
A History of Financial Misconduct and Legal Battles
The reporter’s investigation quickly unearthed a troubling history involving key figures within these organizations. Etienne Uzac, known to contractors as the CEO of Pleroma Media and chief executive of IBT, appeared on several contracts as the Pleroma MGMT hiring manager. In 2020, Uzac pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and fraud brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. At the same time, IBT Media, which owned Newsweek during the period of the investigation, pleaded guilty to a scheme to defraud in the first degree and forfeited $50,000.
William Anderson, of Anderson & Associates—the same law firm found in the West Thirty-Sixth Street building—also faced charges. As the chief executive of the Christian Media Corporation at the time, Anderson pleaded guilty to a scheme to defraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to 150 hours of community service and five years of probation. Anderson, in a statement, maintained that the "factual predicates leading to the case took place over a decade ago" and that he had "complied with all court processes."
The broader fraud scheme, as detailed by then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., amounted to approximately $35 million. Vance described the operation as "overly complicated, but in some sense childishly managed," comparing it to a game of three-card monte. He highlighted the significant investigative resources required to unravel the "maze of corporate bank accounts" used to cycle ill-gotten gains. In 2020, a resolution was reached, with Uzac sentenced to probation and 300 hours of community service. Marc Agnifilo, an attorney for IBT Media and Uzac, expressed satisfaction, stating that IBT Media was "pleased to close this matter and looks forward to continue to grow the business."
The Corporate Labyrinth: Pleroma, IBT, and Related Entities
The operational structure of these companies presents a complex web of interconnected entities. Pleroma Media, founded in 2015, identified twenty-two brands under its umbrella, including Latin Times, Medical Daily, Tech Times, and Enstarz Latino. However, many of these publications were technically operated by different companies, such as NavConnects LLC for the Latin Times. Prior to this, several of these publications were publicly housed under IBT Media, suggesting a deliberate segmentation of operations.
This corporate fragmentation, according to Ann Lipton, a professor at the University of Colorado Law School and corporate-governance expert, is a common strategy to manage risk and responsibility. "You keep very few assets in each individual LLC, and that way, the contractors sue the actual company that hired them, but that company doesn’t have any assets, because they were all paid out through a different related LLC that’s owned by the same people," Lipton explained. However, the specific aspects of the Pleroma Media situation, particularly its deep entanglement with IBT Media and a broader religious organization, make it distinctive.
IBT Media itself was founded in December 2005 by Dr. David Jang and his team in San Francisco. Jang is also the founder and international president of Olivet University. Uzac served as IBT’s first CEO, overseeing the acquisition of Newsweek in 2013. The connection between IBT, Pleroma, and Olivet University runs deep. Property records show Pleroma Media and IBT were once co-located at 33 Whitehall Street, a financial district tower, with its lease "supported by one million dollars in funding from Olivet University" in exchange for an internship program for Olivet students.
The intricate relationships extend further. Yen-Yi Anderson, of Anderson & Associates and wife of William Anderson, represents Uzac, Pleroma Media, Pleroma MGMT, and Olivet University in litigation, explaining her firm’s co-location with Pleroma and IBT by stating, "we go to the same church," which she identified as under the World Olivet Assembly denomination. This network of personal and professional connections within a faith-based context adds another layer of complexity to the corporate structure.
Contractors Recount Financial Hardship and Partial Payments Amidst Investigation
The impact of non-payment on independent contractors has been severe. Mauricio Ginestra, a former contractor for Enstarz Latino, earned $2,350 monthly but faced payment delays by February 2025, leading him to quit. After months of persistent emails, he was eventually paid in full. Similarly, Ethan Dreilinger, former president of Pleroma Media, left in April 2025 due to over two months of unpaid work. On June 4, coincidentally the same day Pleroma Media’s website was stripped down to a minimalist contact page, Dreilinger received a payment of $15,000, most of what he was owed.
Raphael Dib, Pleroma’s former head of product, received $10,000 on June 10, also most of his owed amount. Luis Addor, a contract coder, received approximately $4,000 on June 11. Maria Villarroel, a writer for Latin Times, was owed $2,000 by Pleroma MGMT when she stopped contributing in August of the previous year. After the reporter spoke with her, she received her full payment on June 11, the same day a Pleroma Management website was taken down.
These seemingly coincidental payments, occurring around the time the investigation gained traction, raise questions about the timing and motivation behind the belated remunerations. Dib and Addor, who had jointly filed a lawsuit against Pleroma Media and Pleroma MGMT for at least $50,000, sought to return the partial payments, intending to proceed with their litigation, but received no response.
Despite these partial payments, contractors like Addor described immense financial strain, including being forced to move into a shipping container and taking a part-time job at a pizzeria. "Every time that they made promises, I was counting on that money, and then I never received it," Addor stated, emphasizing the lasting consequences of his experience.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Mounting Debts
The allegations of non-payment are not the only legal challenges facing IBT Media and its affiliates. A long-running legal dispute over the ownership of Newsweek continues, with IBT Media claiming a 2018 transaction to sell Uzac’s stake was "never consummated and is irrevocably null." In June, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that IBT Media owed Newsweek $11 million in damages to settle a dispute over payroll tax obligations.
Furthermore, IBT Media faces significant financial liabilities from its former landlord. According to Broad Financial Center, the landlord of 33 Whitehall Street, IBT owed approximately $4 million in unpaid rent by February of this year, leading to a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court. Consolidated Edison also filed a lawsuit in June, alleging IBT Media owes over $50,000. These legal and financial pressures paint a picture of an organization under considerable duress.
The Pleroma MGMT entity itself, despite being cited as a payer and legal correspondent, appears to operate from a nebulous location. Its listed address is a former Days Inn in Montgomery, Alabama—the same headquarters listed for NavConnects LLC, the operator of Latin Times, and EasyNative, a digital marketing company whose registered agent, James Yang, has been linked to IBT Media and Newsweek as a programmer and investor. This adds to the confusion surrounding the companies’ true operational centers and asset structures.
Retaliation and Threats Against the Press
The investigation into Pleroma and IBT Media was met with aggressive pushback. Days after the reporter contacted executives, Daniel Acosta, an editor from the Latin Times, emailed a list of twenty accusatory questions, demanding a response within an hour. These questions mischaracterized the reporter’s visit and implied a conspiracy with Newsweek "operatives," suggesting "deceptive reporting practices" and a "predatory pattern of identity-based manipulation." The reporter, who shares an ethnic background with the individuals Acosta implicated, was asked if they were aware of a "secret network" leveraging shared cultural backgrounds.
When the reporter requested more time to respond, Acosta did not reply. A little over two hours after his initial outreach, the Latin Times published an article questioning the reporter’s "standard journalistic ethics and practice." This was followed by Acosta sending similar questions to the editor-in-chief and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), the publication supporting the investigation. Morais, CJR’s editor-in-chief, refuted the claims as riddled with false statements. The situation escalated further when IBT Media’s lawyers sent a legal letter threatening CJR, Columbia University, and the reporter with legal repercussions for alleged "past and threatened violations of IBT’s rights."
Former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., when presented with the details of the Pleroma entities’ activities, acknowledged that "even after a criminal conviction, that doesn’t always mean that’s the end of the criminal conduct." He added, "even law enforcement agencies and government agencies, their memory is short," underscoring the ongoing challenge of oversight.
Implications for Freelance Journalism and Corporate Accountability
The experiences of these independent contractors and the tactics employed against the investigating journalist highlight critical vulnerabilities in the modern media landscape. The extensive use of freelancers, often scattered globally, can make them particularly susceptible to non-payment, as pursuing legal action across borders is prohibitively expensive and complex. The deliberate obfuscation of corporate structures through multiple LLCs can further shield assets and complicate efforts to seek redress.
While many of the contractors have found new employment, the emotional and financial toll of the non-payment period remains. The stress, uncertainty, and direct financial hardship, such as inability to pay rent, underscore the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability from media organizations that rely on a freelance workforce. The aggressive legal and journalistic counter-attacks against the reporter also signal a disturbing trend of attempting to silence investigative journalism, posing a threat to press freedom and the public’s right to information. As the legal battles continue and the police investigation into the reporter’s visit remains open, the full implications of this intricate saga are still unfolding.
