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MyPillow CEO and founder Mike Lindell speaks to reporters at his MyPillow factory in the Minneapolis suburb of Shakopee, Minn., on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, as he launches his campaign for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in 2026. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
Smartmatic has informed a federal judge that Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, has yet to pay any of the sanctions imposed on him, despite being held in civil contempt two weeks ago. The company highlighted this in its recent communication with the court.
In a concise three-page document submitted to U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, Smartmatic pointed out that on March 24, Lindell was mandated to pay $56,369 in sanctions by Tuesday, April 7. The order stated that failure to comply would result in a $500 daily fine for continued noncompliance.
As of the deadline, Lindell has not made any payments concerning the sanctions for what have been deemed “frivolous” claims against Smartmatic, the company reported to Judge Nichols, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump.
“Smartmatic’s counsel met with Lindell’s legal team before the April 7, 2026 deadline set by the court. To date, Lindell has not fulfilled the payment obligations nor signed the agreed-upon escrow agreement,” the notice detailed. “Consequently, Lindell is now liable for a civil contempt penalty of $500 per day.”
Details of Lindell’s increasing financial difficulties in relation to the Smartmatic case have been slowly emerging over time.
As Law&Crime reported in detail after Nichols warned Lindell that “further contempt sanctions” would be coming if he didn’t have a good explanation for nonpayment, Lindell repeatedly claimed an “inability to pay” in sealed documents on his financials.
Smartmatic said the hundreds of thousands of dollars contributed to Lindell’s legal defense funds and Minnesota gubernatorial campaign funds — and his $14.8 million in assets — all showed that he chose not to pay out of “disregard for this Court’s orders, rather than genuine financial hardship.”
When the pillow mogul and 2020 election conspiracy theorist with substantial civil liabilities countered by claiming to have a “negative $18.7 million” net worth, Smartmatic’s attorneys answered that Lindell spent $187,037.87 in campaign funds to buy copies of his own book “What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO” from his own company MyPillow Inc. — just to give the books away.
In the end, Nichols determined that Lindell had the money and spent it elsewhere, rather than paying the sanctions as ordered by the court — and he has the assets.
“That Lindell prioritized spending in other legal proceedings over this case—despite those proceedings taking place after the Court ordered him to pay Smartmatic for filing frivolous counterclaims against it—does not excuse his failure to pay here,” the judge stated.
On a separate front in federal court, FedEx recently made a move to collect millions from Lindell for failing to pay shipping debts, claiming he made false promises so he would be allowed to continue “shipping on credit.”
Last summer, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee entered a default judgment in FedEx’s favor — finding MyPillow liable for $8,809,056.31 and Lindell for $2,677,933.31 in compensatory damages, plus costs and postjudgment interest at “4.08% yearly” — after the defendants did not respond.