A federal judge has ruled that Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow, must pay a $5 million arbitration award to a software developer who contested the data supporting Lindell’s claims of election interference in the 2020 election.
What Happened: The ruling was made on Wednesday after the software developer, Robert Zeldman, disputed the data that Lindell claimed supported his allegations of election interference, reported The Hill.
Lindell, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, had launched a “Prove Mike Wrong Challenge” in August 2021, offering $5 million to anyone who could disprove the data he had collected.
Zeldman submitted a report during this challenge, concluding that Lindell’s data did not include information related to the 2020 election. When Lindell’s team denied Zeldman the prize, he filed for arbitration. The panel of three arbitrators ruled in Zeldman’s favor in April, ordering Lindell to pay the $5 million award.
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Lindell, however, plans to appeal the ruling. He emphasized that the breach of contract was not against him personally but against one of his companies, Lindell Management LLC. “Of course we’re going to appeal it. This guy doesn’t have a dime coming,” Lindell said.
Why It Matters: This ruling comes in the wake of Lindell’s continued efforts to prove election fraud in the 2020 election. In August, he claimed that Trump would win with “more votes than we have people in the United States.”
Moreover, Lindell has been making a comeback in the business world, embracing live-streaming and launching new shows on MARKET.live, a social shopping platform. This legal setback could potentially affect his business ventures. Lindell's company, MyPillow, is also grappling with significant business challenges, attributed to his persistent claims that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.
Meanwhile, the former president is embroiled in a series of legal challenges. The cases, which include both federal and state charges, are spread across multiple locations, including New York City, Washington, Atlanta, Florida, and Georgia. The former president has denied any wrongdoings and dubbed the cases a "witch hunt."
Despite facing numerous legal cases, the former president is a leading Republican in most election polls for the 2024 presidential election. According to Real Clear Politics, at the national level, Trump held 74.9% support among GOP voters, while Nikki Haley trailed with 17.2% support.
Photo by Consolidated News Photos on Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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