Nika Schoonover
Journalist
Recent work
Below you will find some of my recent work from Courthouse News Service, Capitol News Illinois and NPR Illinois. You can view more of my stories, organized by publication, in their respective tabs.
Courthouse News: Jury finds Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson guilty on all counts
A 12-person jury found Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson guilty on Tuesday after a nearly two-month trial over accusations he lied to investors about the now-defunct media company’s finances and conspired with another Ozy executive to impersonate a YouTube executive in furtherance of the fraud scheme.
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Following the verdict, U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee revoked Watson’s bail and remanded him into custody over his attorney's objection. The charges, which include conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, in addition to aggravated identity theft, carry a penalty of up to 37 years in prison.
Capitol News Illinois: Legislative watchdog Michael McCuskey sees job as educational opportunity
After 15 months as Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General, Judge Michael McCuskey is moving to Springfield.
Since he first assumed the role in February 2022 – several months after the high-profile resignation of his predecessor – McCuskey has commuted to his Capitol Complex office from his Peoria home. Now, after he was nearly unanimously approved to a full five-year term in the final weeks of the General Assembly’s spring session, he’s hoping to move at the end of the month.
NPR Illinois: Illinois lawsuit seeks to reverse firearm ban on public transit, mirrors challenges nationwide
After a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision affirmed the right to carry firearms in public places for self defense, state laws that ban guns in “sensitive” locations are being challenged in the next era of the battle over the Second Amendment.
Amid the decision, pro-gun advocates have filed lawsuits attempting to walk back those state laws.
