My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell ordered to pay $5M over debunked 2020 election data

(The Hill) – My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, an ally of former President Trump who has aggressively pushed baseless 2020 election denial theories, has been ordered to pay $5 million to a software developer who debunked Lindell's data around the election.

Lindell, who promised to pay the $5 million award to anyone who could debunk his data that purportedly proved election fraud, was ordered to pay the sum by a private arbitrator, who ruled that Robert Zeidman, a software expert, successfully disproved Lindell's claims, in a decision first reported by CNN.

The ruling from the arbitrator said that Lindell repeatedly claimed to have data that he said was captured during the 2020 election and proved that China interfered in the contest. He repeatedly made the claim in public appearances and TV guest-spots.

Lindell then launched the "Prove Mike Wrong Challenge," offering $5 million to anyone who could prove that the data was not valid. Zeidman entered the contest, submitting a report that concluded the data did not include information from the 2020 election. When Lindell's team said Zeidman did not win the contest, he filed the arbitration.

"Based on the foregoing analysis, Mr. Zeidman performed under the contract," the ruling said. "He proved the data Lindell LLC provided, and represented reflected information from the November 2020 election, unequivocally did not reflect November 2020 election data. Failure to pay Mr. Zeidman the $5 million prized was a breach of the contract, entitling him to recover."

The arbitrator ruled that the money must be paid within 30 days of the decision.

Lindell blasted the arbitration decision.

"It was a horrible decision, and it is all going to end up in court," he told The Hill, reiterating his desire to get rid of electronic voting machines.

Lindell has been a vocal election denier and launched an unsuccessful campaign to be the next head of the Republican National Committee earlier this year.