BREAKING: Former Blackhawks Goaltender Facing $4M Lawsuit

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Sam Walker
June 1, 2023 (1:52 PM)

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As the Golden Knights gear up for the Stanley Cup Final, their star goaltender Robin Lehner finds himself entangled in a different kind of battle. Lehner and his wife are currently embroiled in a complicated situation involving fraud allegations and ongoing financial struggles.

Lehner's inability to repay borrowed funds has resulted in legal action being taken against him, marking not the first time he has faced such a lawsuit. The details emerged when a businessman named Michael Borden, based in Las Vegas, accused Lehner of deceiving him regarding his capacity to repay a substantial loan of nearly $4 million.

Borden claims that he was led to believe that the loaned money would be used for technology development in Lehner's SolarCode business. He was informed that SolarCode had multiple government contracts in the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East, and that the technology associated with the loan was operational. However, Borden alleges that Lehner misrepresented the profitability and viability of SolarCode, failing to disclose that it was not a profitable or viable commercial entity.

As part of the loan agreement, Lehner assigned 20 percent of his SolarCode royalties to Borden indefinitely, with an option for Lehner to repurchase the royalty rights for $35 million.

Borden is not only seeking the return of the borrowed funds but also demands compensation for the legal expenses incurred during this contentious case.

The court filing reveals that Lehner told Borden that his snake farm business was fully paid for and generating positive cash flow. However, it was later discovered that Lehner had undisclosed debts of over $16 million at the time of Borden's loan in April.

In June 2022, Borden alleges that Lehner sought another $500,000 loan with a one-year term. Lehner assured Borden that despite the one-year loan, he intended to repay the $500,000 earlier, specifically within the first two months of his guaranteed contract with the Knights, which started at the beginning of the current NHL season.

Despite not having played a single game in the current NHL season, Lehner continues to receive income from his lucrative five-year, $25 million contract signed with the Golden Knights back in 2020.

The question now arises: Will Lehner be able to make a successful return to the NHL amidst these legal and financial troubles?

As seen on HouseofHockey Lehner in Serious Trouble over bankruptcy fraud claim