Embattled Arizona Cyber Ninjas ordered to pay hefty $50K per day fine in sanctions

Cyber Ninjas —the firm employed by Arizona's Republican-led government to conduct an audit of the 2020 presidential election— has been ordered to pay a hefty five-figure daily fine until it turns over records requested by the Arizona Republic newspaper.

On Thursday, January 6, the Florida-based firm was found in contempt of court and ordered them to pay a $50,000 per day in sanctions until they fulfill the request.

According to The Washington Post, Maricopa Superior Court Judge John Hannah previously ordered Cyber Ninjas to provide the newspaper with "emails, text messages, and other documents." But, to no avail. “It is lucidly clear on this record that Cyber Ninjas has disregarded that order,” Hannah said.

The latest court order comes amid reports confirming Cyber Ninjas' termination of its full staff and its plan to shut down. On Thursday evening, the firm's representative Rod Thomson said, "Cyber Ninjas is shutting down. All employees have been let go."

Jack Wilenchik, a lawyer representing the embattled firm, also echoed Thomson's announcement stating that the company had, in fact, terminated its employees, including former Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan. Wilenchik also noted that "the company is unable to go into its records to find the audit documents," per The Post.

Just days ago, Maricopa County officials released a scathing 93-page report debunking each and nearly every frivolous claim of voter fraud circulated by former President Donald Trump and his allies. The report included detailed rebuttals for 76 out of 77 claims of voter fraud in connection with the 2020 presidential election. Maricopa County, where the city of Phoenix is located, is Arizona's largest county. It became the epicenter of Trump's voter fraud allegations and an audit target for Republicans.

Despite lawmakers' push for the controversial audits, the effort did not produce any evidence of widespread voter fraud.