Clippers owner Steve Ballmer: ‘I was duped’ in Aspiration scandal

That is where things started. It did not end there.

Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg later pleaded guilty to fraud charges, with sentencing scheduled for Monday. Ahead of that, Ballmer submitted a five-page victim impact statement to the judge, laying out what he says was a pattern of deception that cost him tens of millions.

Ballmer said he initially invested $60 million based on what he believed were legitimate claims about the company’s financial outlook. He also referenced a much larger, $300 million partnership agreement tied to the Clippers that ultimately collapsed.

In the letter, Ballmer called himself “a clear and undisputed victim” and said the damage went beyond finances.

“The most persistent and damaging injury,” he wrote, was to his reputation.

That part has been in the spotlight for months.

Journalist Pablo Torre previously reported on Ballmer’s ties to Aspiration, including questions about whether the company played a role in payments connected to Kawhi Leonard. Ballmer pushed back in his letter, dismissing that reporting as “gossip,” something Torre quickly responded to on social media.

The NBA also launched an investigation into the situation. That remains ongoing.

Ballmer, for his part, said he welcomed the league’s review. At the same time, he questioned the credibility of Sanberg’s cooperation, suggesting it could be tied to an effort to receive a lighter sentence.

Bottom line: Ballmer is drawing a firm line. He says he believed in the mission, trusted the wrong person and paid the price.

Now, with sentencing looming, he wants the court to understand exactly how deep that impact goes.