Lakers sale comes amid federal investigation involving Mark Walter

The timing of the Lakers’ stunning $12.5 billion sale comes with another significant piece of context.

Outgoing majority owner Mark Walter remains the subject of a federal investigation into portions of his sprawling business empire, an investigation that included FBI agents seizing his phone and laptop last year.

As Hoops Wire relayed in July, Bloomberg revealed that agents executed a court-authorized search warrant aboard Walter’s private plane at Chicago Midway International Airport on Sept. 18, 2025.

The search was connected to a broader investigation involving Walter’s business interests, including Guggenheim Partners and insurance companies controlled through TWG Global.

No criminal charges have been filed against Walter, and there has been no indication that the investigation is connected to his decision to sell the Lakers.

Still, the circumstances are notable after ESPN reported Wednesday that Walter has agreed to sell controlling interest in the Lakers to a group led by Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger at a record $12.5 billion valuation.

Walter only acquired controlling interest from the Buss family last year in a deal that valued the franchise at approximately $10 billion.

The New York Post also noted the federal investigation in its report on Wednesday’s sale, citing a Wall Street Journal report that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan and Securities and Exchange Commission have been examining financial dealings connected to Walter and his companies.

Walter has denied wrongdoing, and TWG Global previously said he and the company have “always acted in good faith” and are cooperating with authorities.

So there’s no established connection between the investigation and Wednesday’s blockbuster sale.

But less than a year after taking control of the Lakers, Walter is selling. And the federal investigation surrounding his business empire remains unresolved.