The founder of Nikola Corp., Trevor Milton, who was recently convicted of fraud, plans to nominate a slate of candidates, including Dave Sparks from the “Diesel Brothers” reality show, to the company’s board in 2024. The notice from an entity controlled by Milton stated its intention to nominate the slate for the annual shareholders meeting. The list of candidates also includes Cole Cannon, Derek Johnson, Hans Peterson, and Paul Southam.
Nikola has strongly opposed these nominees, stating that they lack public company experience, skills, or expertise in zero-emissions trucking and energy infrastructure. The company plans to disclose its own nominees for the board when the proxy statement is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Trevor Milton, who resigned from his role as Nikola’s executive chair in 2020 and was convicted of securities and wire fraud in 2023, remains one of the company’s largest shareholders. Despite his lack of involvement in the company’s daily operations for several years, he has been vocal about leadership changes and urged investors to reject company-backed proposals.
Nikola’s shares fell slightly as news of the nomination slate emerged.
