Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad “Weaponized” Newsroom to Kill Olivet University in New York: Exclusive Report

Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad is facing accusations of fraud and threatening Christian churches, including a Christian university, in "collusion" with Newsweek Editor Naveed Jamali and others.

According to an exclusive HNGN report, the allegations from the source--who requested anonymity for protection against retaliation from Dev Pragad, Jamali, and the publication--came after weeks of silence from the Newsweek CEO.

This Monday, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) declared that it would not be renewing Olivet University's extension site's Permission to Operate (PTO).

Olivet University has been operating an extension site in New York for almost 10 years, with permission granted by the NYSED on November 5, 2012, and multiple renewals since then. However, the NYSED opted not to renew the PTO when the current one expired on June 30.

The source said: "I am certain that Newsweek had played some role or influence, fully or partially, in the NYSED's decision not to renew the PTO."

In an email response, NYSED confirmed that Newsweek had contacted them several times concerning the Olivet University issue.

The Department stated in the email that it "has gotten multiple inquiries from Newsweek, most recently today [June 30]." The HNGN report noted that it has verified the information.

Dev Pragad Allegedly Wants To Take Over Newsweek

Newsweek seemed to be aggressive in contacting government agencies in its efforts against Olivet University. The source claimed that the publication's actions were due to Dev Pragad's ambition to take full control of the company. It added that the Newsweek CEO even went to the media to accuse Olivet University of "human trafficking" in the pursuit of his goal because he does not have legal standing.

The source further said that Dev Pragad proclaimed himself as the "savior of the news," which drove him to take over Newsweek in early 2022. Since then, the Newsweek CEO launched a series of threats in an attempt to remove the company's founder and shareholder, Johnathan Davis, his church, and a Christian university, where his wife had served as president.

A verified message the source received from Pragad dated March 2, 2022, stated: "If Olivet (the bible school), JD (the Newsweek shareholder) ... or others attack me then I'll go to media about Olivet raid by DHS for human trafficking, etc to protect myself ... [and show] ... that they are trying to undermine Newsweek."

When asked if Davis or other individuals would have provoked Dev Pragad to such a response, the source said, "nothing was done at all. Pragad escalated it all unilaterally."

"Subsequently, in no uncertain terms, he told me his demand - he said loud and clear that he wanted the 50 percent shares of Newsweek that is owned by the husband of the former president of the Christian university. If he got what he wanted, he said he would remain an 'ally' of Olivet. If not, the attacks would be launched."

Newsweek CEO Weaponizing Newsroom To Pursue Business Agenda

On April 22, Newsweek published an article alleging Olivet University is under investigation for human trafficking, among other issues. However, the allegations were not officially confirmed by any other government agency, including the DHS.

The source stated that it was "shocked" that Newsweek published the article in the main headlines though the story "could not be further from the truth." It also asserted that the article implies Pragad is "weaponizing" the Newsweek newsroom "to attack the university" in the impression of "protecting himself."

"It is interesting to note that all the Newsweek articles were published soon after he (Pragad) had issued the threats and more interestingly, all the inflammatory articles related to Olivet University or related entities, were published as the main headlines of the Newsweek site," the source said.

The source is certain that Newsweek influenced the NYSED decision to deny Olivet University permission to continue operating in New York.

"It is as if Newsweek, a national newspaper that should be focusing on more important and newsworthy pieces, desperately wanted the Olivet-related articles to gain attention. I am utterly disappointed to see how Newsweek has degraded into a tabloid, just as I am certain Newsweek CEO Dev Pragad has weaponized the newsroom to kill Olivet University in New York," the source noted, per HNGN.

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