Chapter 10 - Lucía’s tuition
Lucía came to my office three days after I cut off tuition payments.
She sat across from me.
No raised hands.
No kicking.
Progress.
“Did Dad use company money for my tuition?”
“I’m not discussing confidential audit details beyond what affects you directly.”
“It affects me.”
“Yes.”
“Then?”
“AV Strategic paid eighteen thousand dollars to your university account last year.”
Her face changed.
“I thought that was Dad.”
“It came from his LLC after VGD advanced the LLC money under a document bearing my signature.”
“Did you sign?”
“No.”
She closed her eyes.
“Jesus.”
“How much did you know?”
“Nothing about VGD.”
“Did you know I paid twelve thousand?”
“Yes.”
“Your annual tuition was twenty-six.”
“Yes.”
“Then why were we both paying more than tuition?”
She stared.
We obtained her account statement together because it was her account.
There.
Credits:
My $12,000.
AV Strategic $18,000.
Scholarship $4,500.
Tuition/fees:
$26,340.
Result:
Overpayment.
The university had issued a refund of approximately $8,160.
Where did it go?
Lucía’s personal checking account.
I stared.
“You kept it.”
She started crying.
“I thought Dad wanted me to.”
“Did you ask?”
“He said consider it living expenses.”
“Did you tell me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you would’ve stopped paying.”
There.
Not fraud against me in a criminal sense necessarily.
But concealment.
“You let me believe I was covering tuition.”
“I was using it for school.”
“Rent?”
“Yes.”
“Clothes?”
“Some.”
“Vacation?”
She looked away.
There.
I said:
“I’m done paying.”
“I know.”
“No. Not as punishment for the party. I’m done because financial help requires accurate information.”
She nodded.
Then:
“I’ll repay you.”
“Not all of it.”
She looked up.
“I gave money voluntarily based on a purpose you misrepresented.”
“Then how much?”
“We’ll work it out.”
Later we agreed she would repay $8,000 over two years.
Not crushing.
Enough to restore accuracy.
She continued school with loans, work, and a smaller scholarship.
No dramatic expulsion.
May you like
No ruined future.
Adult finances.
