Chapter 11 - Arturo’s defense
Arturo hired counsel.
Of course.
He stopped speaking to auditors directly.
Also good.
His attorney, Michael Trent, sent a letter:
Arturo denied forging my signature.
He stated:
The advance had been discussed informally.
I had verbally authorized him to finalize routine documentation.
A staff member may have inserted my standard signature image as an administrative convenience.
Arturo believed the transaction benefited VGD because AV Strategic performed legitimate consulting related to Oak Terrace.
There were problems with this story.
First:
I never verbally authorized the advance.
Second:
Oak Terrace had already been paused before most expenditures.
Third:
No invoice package showed $187,500 of consulting value.
Fourth:
Much of the money went to personal or family expenses.
Still.
“Forged signature” is a serious claim.
We needed more than my memory.
The board appointed a special committee excluding me and Arturo from certain decisions because both of us were family principals with conflicts.
Good governance finally arrived after decades of improvisation.
Independent counsel reviewed.
Forensic accounting.
Email.
Bank records.
Document history.
No company-wide shutdown.
No FBI descending through skylights.
Employees kept working.
Projects continued.
May you like
That was important to me.
Arturo’s misconduct, if proven, did not justify destroying eighty-six people’s jobs.
