Ballmer, Leonard Tied to Aspiration Scandal

0:00Joe Sandberg, co-founder of the now-defunct aspiration partners, faces sentencing Monday after pleading guilty last October to two counts of fraud. He and his team conned investors out of $248 million by faking the company as a sustainable banking outfit. His lawyer dropped a dozen letters, including one from the NBA, pushing the judge for less than the 17 years per count that prosecutors won. Meanwhile, Clipper's owner Steve Balmer hid back hard with his own five-page victim statement. His lawyer says Balmer got duped out of $60 million, and the real damages to his rep, which could take years to fix. Balmer, the ex-Microsoft boss, only met Sandberg once, but got targeted for his green cred to lure more cash. Investors feel distinct too, with 11 of them suing Sandberg and others, now dragging Balmer in for aiding fraud and seeking at least 50. Million in damages. Balmer calls that nonsense, saying he's just a mark because of his fame and wallet, and it ties him publicly to the scam.

1:01On top of that, the NBA is digging into a shady $28 million deal between aspiration and K.Y. Leonard, for endorsements that Leonard says he fulfilled. Questions swirl about salary cap tricks, and while Balmer denies setting it up, Sandberg's cooperation into interviews helped their probe per ann, NBA lawyer's letter. As the league wraps his look into Balmer, Leonard, and aspiration ties, those results could hit their images harder than Sandberg's bust, shaping. What's next in this mess? That wraps California News Today, brought to you with AI.