Court Filing Reveals Mike Lindell Purchased His Own Books in Bulk from MyPillow Instead of Paying Smartmatic Sanctions

Smartmatic, the voting technology firm, is intensifying its legal battle against MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, seeking over $56,000 in penalties for what it describes as “frivolous” claims about the 2020 election. The company also alleges that Lindell, who is running for governor of Minnesota, misused campaign funds by purchasing large quantities of his own book, thereby funneling money back to himself.

In a recent filing with U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, Smartmatic highlighted the financial records of Lindell’s gubernatorial campaign, which were made public by the state. These records reveal significant expenditures over the past year, raising questions about the campaign’s financial practices.

According to the documents, while Lindell’s campaign managed to raise $356,513.40, more than half of the $272,578.03 spent was directed towards purchasing books from MyPillow, including Lindell’s autobiography, “What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO.” The Minnesota Reformer reports that Lindell claims to have distributed over 20,000 copies of his book.

The supplemental filing by Smartmatic claims that this pattern of spending suggests Lindell has the financial means to cover the $56,369 in sanctions imposed on him in January 2025. However, instead of settling the sanctions, he allegedly chose to invest in bulk book purchases, effectively channeling money into his own company and, by extension, to himself.

Smartmatic argued the spending numbers show that Lindell could afford the $56,369 in sanctions he was ordered to pay in January 2025, but he made “bulk” buys of his own books instead to “pay his own company and by extension, himself.”

“In other words, the majority of the funds raised by the Campaign in 2025 were used to make bulk purchases of books from MyPillow Inc., of which Mr. Lindell is the Founder, CEO, and Majority Shareholder,” Smartmatic’s attorneys said.

The filing comes as Smartmatic has already asked Nichols, a Donald Trump appointee, to “coerce” Lindell’s compliance, hold him in contempt, and issue a “daily penalty” until he pays in full, not buying his claims of “genuine financial hardship.”

“This is not an inability to pay. It is a calculated refusal to pay. Only the threat of contempt will move him to comply,” Smartmatic said.

Instead, Smartmatic added, Lindell displayed his willingness to boost claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

In 2020, Smartmatic’s technology was used only in Los Angeles County, a county then-candidate Joe Biden easily won. Nonetheless, then-President Trump’s allies pushed the notion that the company was tied to deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and could have played a role in stealing the election, leading to defamation lawsuits.

Smartmatic became involved in the present Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit as a third-party defendant because Lindell countersued, claiming RICO violations. Some “frivolous” claims in the Lindell countersuit led Nichols to order up $56,369 in sanctions.

Last March, Smartmatic moved to hold Lindell in civil contempt, complaining that he “still has not paid, nor […] meaningfully engaged in any discussions or negotiations regarding the terms of payment.”

Nearly a year later, Smartmatic says it has all the evidence it needs to show Lindell violated a court order, warranting “further contempt sanctions.”

“Mr. Lindell’s instant response demonstrates precisely what Smartmatic foresaw: a claim of inability to pay born of disregard for this Court’s orders, rather than genuine financial hardship. Mr. Lindell will not pay unless and until the Court compels him to do so through contempt,” Smartmatic stated.