Mark Walter’s sale of the Los Angeles Lakers is suspicious, to say the least. The same guy who owns multiple sports teams and was in the middle of rebuilding the Lakers’ entire business operation suddenly decided he was willing to sell one of the world’s most iconic sports assets for a 20% gain in just under two years?
Yeah, that doesn’t pass the smell test. Even if we wanted to give Walter the benefit of the doubt and say he sold the team because the offer was too good to pass up, earning 20% in two years is not some extraordinary financial return. The S&P 500 alone is up more than 30% since the deal was announced in June 2025.
I know, I know. Investing in a liquid index of stocks is different than buying a sports team, but you get the point. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Walter’s decision to sell the Lakers in 72 hours has something to do with the fact that the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and the SEC are investigating him for fraud.
I briefly mentioned this investigation in yesterday’s newsletter, but I got so many questions in response that it’s worth explaining exactly what is happening. The reality is that Walter was likely forced to sell the Lakers to raise money to cover the very loans he is being investigated for. This investigation is much more serious than people realize. Federal agents have already seized Walter’s phone and computer, and depending on the official findings, it could result in the complete unwinding of one of the world’s largest sports portfolios, a portfolio that includes the Lakers, Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and the Cadillac Formula 1 team.
Here’s what you need to know…
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