A 2017 lawsuit shows how electric car startup Lordstown paid outside workers to gin up 10,000 pre-orders per year

A 2017 lawsuit shows how Lordstown Motors banked some pre-orders for its upcoming pickup truck. The case reveals the company paid outside workers to generate up to 10,000 pre-orders per year. Experts warn pre-orders and reservations are flawed measures of a startup's potential. See more stories on Insider's business page.