News

Steve Ballmer blasts founder he backed who pleaded guilty to fraud: ‘I was duped and feel silly’

Published

2 months ago

April 25, 2026

Preport

Silicon Valley tends to tolerate a certain amount of founder exaggeration when pitching investors, often dismissing it as part of selling a vision. But some choices cross the line and can lead to jail time for founders and scandal for their investors.

A case in point is Joseph Sanberg, whose once high-flying fintech startup Aspiration Partners was backed by a roster of tech celebrities, including former Microsoft CEO and current Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. In August 2025, Sanberg pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and defrauding multiple investors and lenders, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Ahead of sentencing, which is scheduled for Monday, victims were invited to describe their experience with Sanberg to the judge. Ballmer did so, and publicly. Ballmer’s lawyers said in the letter that he has lost money, been vilified, and that the NBA is investigating allegations stemming from the association.

Sanberg co-founded green fintech startup Aspiration Partners, which offered what it called sustainable banking services like credit cards and investment products that avoided fossil fuels. The startup promised to “automatically plant trees with every card purchase.” In 2021, it announced plans to go public via a SPAC merger at a value of $2.3 billion, though that transaction never took place.

The DOJ alleged that Aspiration booked and recognized revenue from entities held by Sanberg, who made the company appear as if it had a steady stream of customers and revenue that it didn’t actually have. The agency further alleged he defrauded investors by showing them a fabricated letter from Aspiration’s audit committee that said the company had $250 million in available cash and equivalents when it had less than $1 million. The DOJ alleged that Sanberg, along with a board member who also pleaded guilty, falsified financial records to obtain $145 million in loans.

When Ballmer shared his letter on X, asking the judge to consider the harm done to him in sentencing, he wrote, “I was duped and feel silly about that. Everyone who believed in Aspiration, including employees, customers and investors, was also duped. Everyone is still tallying the losses.”

Five years ago, I invested in Aspiration, a company focused on environmental sustainability, a cause deeply important to me and my family. I also bought carbon credits and trees through the company to reduce the carbon footprint of the Clippers, Intuit Dome, the Kia Forum and all…

— Steve Ballmer (@Steven_Ballmer) April 23, 2026

The letter says that Ballmer invested a total of $60 million in the company, and lost all of it. Ballmer was not only an investor, but had contracted with Aspiration to provide carbon-offsetting programs for the Clippers and its stadium. Aspiration also became a major Clippers sponsor.

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The billionaire said in the letter that not only did he lose that money, his reputation was negatively affected. He used the letter to deny the reporting of a multi-part series from famed sports podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out that delved into the relationship between the Clippers and Aspiration. The podcast made allegations that Aspiration helped sidestep the salary cap for a star Clippers player. Ballmer’s lawyers called those allegations “misapprehension or intentional disregard of the facts,” in the letter.

Ballmer’s letter also said that as a result of the association with this company, the podcast and other public attention of it, he’s been named in lawsuits. Meanwhile, the NBA said in its own letter regarding Sanberg’s sentencing that it’s investigating the salary cap allegations and Sanberg has been providing evidence, ESPN reported.

While the basketball world is embroiled in all of these downstream developments, the message founders can take from it is clear: If one fabricates financial documents to raise capital, the outcome will very likely be prison.

The Ballmer Group did not respond to our request for comment.

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News

APC Election Officials Break Silence on Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Primary Dispute

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Preport

Controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency has taken a new turn, with officials who conducted the exercise alleging attempts by some aggrieved aspirants to undermine the credibility of the election.

The allegations were made on Tuesday during a press briefing in Jos by members of the Forum of Ward Presiding Officers, Local Government Collation Officers and Constituency Collation/Returning Officers.

Speaking on behalf of the forum, its Chairman, Chinwatda Tapar, claimed that some aspirants approached election officials after the May 16, 2026 primary and urged them to sign affidavits containing accounts that contradicted what transpired during the exercise.

According to Tapar, some officials were allegedly offered financial inducements, while others faced intimidation and sustained pressure in a bid to secure their cooperation.

“Our duty was to conduct a free, fair and credible election, not to become instruments in any post-election effort aimed at distorting the truth,” he said.

Tapar explained that the election officials were appointed by the APC National Secretariat through the committee constituted to conduct the party’s 2026 National Assembly primary elections in Plateau State, headed by Hon. Stella Okotete.

He stated that the committee deployed them to oversee the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency primary, which, according to him, was conducted peacefully, transparently and in compliance with the APC constitution and electoral guidelines.

He maintained that the election produced a winner who was duly declared and returned after the collation of results.

The forum further disclosed that it had retained information relating to the alleged approaches made by the aggrieved aspirants and would present the evidence to law enforcement agencies, the APC leadership or any court of competent jurisdiction if required.

The officials urged party members and stakeholders to channel any grievances arising from the primary election through lawful and democratic processes rather than attempting to influence election officials.

“Our responsibility as Ward Presiding Officers, Local Government Collation Officers and Constituency Collation/Returning Officers ended with the successful conduct of the primary election and the declaration of its outcome,” Tapar added.

The forum reaffirmed its commitment to truth, fairness, due process and the democratic principles of the APC, insisting that it would not participate in any effort to compromise the integrity of the primary election or distort the facts surrounding its conduct.

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News

2027: Oyo ex-Deputy governor, Arapaja dumps Makinde, meets APC chieftains

Published

3 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Preport

Reports reaching DAILY POST from the camp of a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, indicate that Arapaja has perfected plans to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It was gathered that the planned defection is coming a few hours after the former lawmaker met President Bola Tinubu.

Arapaja met Tinubu in Abuja two days ago, after which he also met some chieftains of APC from Oyo State at his residence in Abuja on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by the gubernatorial candidate of APC in the state, Barrister Sharafadeen Alli, deputy gubernatorial candidate, Mr Adesoji Adedeji and Oyo South Senatorial candidate of the party, Hon Aderemi Oseni, Arapaja’s loyalists and supporters; and other notable personalities from the State.

Sources at the meeting disclosed it centred on the planned defection of Arapaja to APC.

Both Makinde and Arapaja belong to the same faction of PDP until recent moves by Arapaja to join APC.

Arapaja has been a close ally of Makinde since the inception of his administration in 2019.

He had earlier served as National Vice Chairman (South West) and later served as Deputy National Chairman (South) for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He also serves as National Secretary of a PDP faction loyal to Makinde.

Arapaja, who hails from Idi Arere in Ibadan, has been in active politics since the inception of this current fourth republic in 1999.

He served as Chairman of Ibadan South East Local Government Area between 1999 and 2002.

Arapaja represented Ibadan North East/ Ibadan South East federal constituency on the platform of PDP between 2003 and 2007 and later served as Deputy Governor when the late Adebayo Alao-Akala was the Governor between 2007 and 2011.