Trump-supporting pillow tycoon Mike Lindell handed over financial documents in a $5 million lawsuit before he would have been forced to appear before a federal judge.
The case stems from Lindell’s public promise to pay anyone $5 million to disprove his claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged in Joe Biden‘s favor. Computer forensics expert Robert Ziedman proved that Lindell’s data was erroneous and went to court to claim his $5 million.
Ziedman and his lawyers were seeking financial records from Lindell and his company, Lindell Management LLC, so they could collect the money.
Businessman Mike Lindell speaks at a rally featuring Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump on July 27 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Lindell handed over financial documents in a $5 million lawsuit.
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Attorney Cary Joshi notified Judge Dulce Foster on August 26 that Lindell had complied. Joshi filed the financial documents to the judge, but they are not yet publicly available.
“The written responses have been provided. Lindell Management LLC has also produced documents in electronic format that we have not yet been able to review,” Joshi’s letter to the judge said. “I have been in touch with counsel for Lindell Management and we have agreed to continue to work through any technical or substantive issues related to the responses and productions.”
Newsweek sought email comment from Lindell’s attorney on Wednesday.
Foster noted on August 15 that Lindell had missed every deadline and had not even responded to the court.
Foster said she therefore considered that Lindell is not challenging the disclosure order and ordered that Lindell, his lawyer and a Lindell Management executive appear in court if they didn’t hand over the documents by August 23.
“Failing which, the Court will order Respondent to appear at a hearing with its counsel and a managing officer of the company to explain its continued noncompliance with its discovery obligations,” Foster wrote.
Lindell made his fortune as founder and CEO of MyPillow, but his empire has been in financial trouble the past year as he deals with a series of lawsuits related to former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican nominee. Lindell has spoken openly about his financial troubles and his efforts to keep the company afloat.
In February, U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim upheld an April 2023 ruling that required Lindell to pay Ziedman $5 million. The case stemmed from a 2021 symposium in which Lindell issued his “Prove Me Wrong” challenge.
Lindell said he possessed data that proved Chinese interference affected the results of the race. He offered $5 million to anyone who could prove his data wrong. Ziedman’s figures debunked Lindell’s claim and Ziedman went to court to collect the money.
After the February ruling, Lindell told War Room podcast host Steve Bannon that he will appeal the decision and that Zeidman won’t “see a dime.”
“I don’t have any money,” Lindell told NBC News after the ruling. “I have a pickup truck and a house that I live in. That’s it.”
