Newsweek raid reportedly linked to SF’s Olivet University

FILE - Tracy Davis, shown here at Olivet University's campus Northfield, Mass. in 2012 is married to Jonathan Davis, a co-founder of IBT Media, Newsweek Magazine's parent company. FILE - Tracy Davis, shown here at Olivet University's campus Northfield, Mass. in 2012 is married to Jonathan Davis, a co-founder of IBT Media, Newsweek Magazine's parent company. Photo: Elise Amendola/AP Photo: Elise Amendola/AP Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Newsweek raid reportedly linked to SF’s Olivet University 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Investigators on Thursday raided Newsweek’s offices in New York as part of a probe into the magazine’s connection to California-based Olivet University, according to the New York Post.

An anonymous source told the Post that the investigation was “believed to be” connected to Olivet University, which was started in 2000 by pastor David Jang, leader of a Christian sect that calls itself “the Community.” The evangelical Christian school, which counts four campuses across the country and offices on Howard Street in San Francisco, has close ties to Newsweek’s parent company.

The Post reported that roughly two dozen investigators from the Manhattan district attorney’s office arrived at Newsweek’s offices early Thursday morning before leaving with several of the magazine’s computer servers.

Olivet’s San Francisco campus, located at 1025 Howard St., was mostly deserted Friday morning. Blinds were drawn in many of the windows, though the front door was propped open and lights were on near the front desk. A stack of newspapers sat untouched, and a bulletin board was empty of flyers.

A woman who answered the door said that an Olivet official inside was unwilling to be interviewed about the university and shut the door.

A grand jury investigation of Newsweek Media Group, formerly known as International Business Times Media, has been ongoing for at least 17 months, “a source familiar with the matter” told Newsweek in the publication’s own story about the raid of its offices.

In 2014, Mother Jones reported extensively on the convoluted relationship among International Business Times Media, Olivet, Jang and, by extension, the newly acquired Newsweek.

“Although IBT carefully avoided public association with the Community, behind the scenes the connections were clear,” reporter Ben Dooley wrote in the Mother Jones report.

Newsweek, a weekly magazine founded in 1933, was purchased in 2013 by International Business Times Media, which has since changed its name to Newsweek Media Group. The founders of IBT, Etienne Uzac and Jonathan Davis, both have deep ties to Olivet. Davis is married to Tracy Davis, the president of the university, and Uzac is married to a translator for Jang, who is Korean.

Tracy Davis did not respond to The Chronicle’s requests for comment.

Mother Jones reported that some employees at the university, often brought to the U.S. with their IBT-employed spouses, violated immigration laws and were denied proper wages.

Since International Business Times Media bought Newsweek, Olivet has experienced significant revenue growth. Between 2012 and 2015, Olivet’s revenue has nearly tripled. According to forms filed with the Internal Revenue Service, the university’s 2012 revenue was just over $11.7 million. In 2015, the amount grew to $28.2 million. The organization’s reported expenses have grown during that period, too: from about $5.5 million in 2012 to about $19.7 million in 2015.

Newsweek Media Group confirmed the search Thursday by investigators, but the company emphasized in a statement that it was unrelated to editorial operations.

“No information regarding the company’s content, stories, personnel, or sources was given and Newsweek Media Group has been assured by the DA’s office that the investigation is not about any content-related issues,” the statement said.

Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney