Pretty fancy.
From former ESPN (and carbon credit?) contributing analyst Pablo Torre:
Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) September 3, 2025
"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says. pic.twitter.com/F6z5pNEkI1
Matt Stoller (BIG newsletter) comments:
A shockingly good story from @pablofindsout
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) September 3, 2025
Clippers owner and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, the seventh richest man in the world, engaged in what looks like money laundering to get around the NBA salary cap. He invested in an 'eco-friendly bank' called Aspiration started…
And from the U.S. Department of Justice, August 21:
Aspiration Partners Co-Founder Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty to a $248M Scheme to Defraud Investors and Lenders
