Federal investigators in the United States have opened a inquiry into Mark Walter, the co‑founder of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, focusing on alleged loans between his insurance companies and businesses linked to him.
The league’s governance structure, however, remains unchanged; league officials have said there are no plans to sell the PWHL or alter its ownership model.
Expanding the league’s footprint
Walter’s recent transaction saw him sell the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers to a consortium led by Josh Kushner and media executive Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion, a deal that closed on August 12, 2026, after he acquired the franchise from the Buss family the previous year.
Beyond the Lakers, Walter controls a stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers through Guggenheim Baseball Management, a group that purchased the baseball club for $2.15 billion in 2012, financing part of the purchase with insurance‑linked entities under the Guggenheim umbrella.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced a series of expansion clubs in Hamilton, Detroit, San Jose and Las Vegas, marking the first foray into the United States and adding a fifth Canadian franchise in Hamilton.
Toronto‑based Kilmer Sports Ventures and Detroit‑based Ilitch Sports and Entertainment joined as the league’s first external investors in June, with Kilmer’s equity stake reported at $100 million.
Stan Kasten, president of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a member of the PWHL’s advisory board, confirmed that the Dodgers are not for sale and that no sale process has been initiated.
The Canadian Securities Administrators referred questions about Walter’s investigations to regional securities commissions, which have declined to confirm or deny any ongoing scrutiny.