NHL star bankrupt amid £1m snake farm purchase as breeder murdered by wife

15 January 2023 , 20:07

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Robin Lehner entered the NHL ahead of the 2008 season (Image: NHLI via Getty Images)

NHL star Robin Lehner has filed for bankruptcy after investing in exotic snakes - with the world-renowned breeder reportedly murdered by his wife.

According to a filing in the District of Nevada, the Las Vegas Golden Knights goalie filed for bankruptcy with liabilities of up to $50million, with the NHL and the Sin City franchise listed as interested parties in the case. Lehner and wife Donya filed for bankruptcy on December 30, reports the New York Post.

It has since been reported that the Swedish hockey star’s financial issues are linked to a $1.2m purchase of a collection of exotic snakes in 2017. Lehner seemed to have bought the reptiles from a breeder named Ben Renick.

Several months after the remarkable purchase, Renick was murdered by his wife and her ex-boyfriend in a stunning turn of events. Lehner reportedly made an initial payment of $200,000 for the snakes to Renick but any future instalments stopped after his death, according to KMIZ.

Lehner - who previously played for the New York Islanders, the Buffalo Sabres and the Chicago Blackhawks - is the owner of RL Exotics LLC, hence his interest in the snakes. The 31-year-old operates an exotic reptile farm in Missouri with three employees, and his assets are valued between $1m and $10m.

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The Las Vegas goalie has endured a career littered with off-rink controversies. Back in 2018 he was embroiled in a lawsuit stemming from his lack of payments for the snakes.

Robin Lehner has been with the Las Vegas Golden Knights since 2020 (NHLI via Getty Images)

Lehner countersued in December of the same year, claiming he took on millions of dollars in costs to take care of Renick's reptiles as ‘they began breeding amongst one another in an unsupervised, uncontrolled manner’. His attorney suggested the breeding caused the collection of snakes to love value.

Renick was murdered by wife Lynlee in 2018 and she was later found guilty of the chargers. She was sentenced to 16 years in prison and, last week, dropped her appeal of the conviction and her sentence, asking for voluntary dismissal from prison.

Lehner’s Golden Knights currently lead the Pacific Division of the Western Conference with a 28-14-2 record. Las Vegas take on the Dallas Stars in their next contest on Monday night.

Andrew Gamble