Chapter 9 - The missing custodian call
Front Range Private Wealth had a recorded call from Ryan.
Not me.
He tried to get the securities-control agreement started.
Compliance officer Jeff Nolan said:
“We need Lena directly.”
Ryan:
“I manage household investments.”
Nolan:
“You are an authorized information contact, not an owner or discretionary agent.”
Ryan:
“She already signed lender consent.”
Nolan:
“That does not authorize us.”
Then:
“What would?”
“A direct signed control agreement with identity verification, or a valid power of attorney specifically covering securities pledges.”
Ryan:
“We have a POA.”
We did?
I froze.
Rachel requested.
Document:
A Colorado statutory power of attorney executed four years earlier when I had surgery.
I remembered signing one.
Temporary practical planning.
It named:
Ryan as agent.
Alexander as successor.
Did it remain effective?
Yes.
Durable unless revoked.
I had forgotten.
That was terrifying.
What powers did it grant?
Banking.
Real property.
Taxes.
Insurance.
Some investment authority.
But crucially, the form had an additional section:
Agent may not create or change rights of survivorship, beneficiary designations, gifts, or delegate authority unless specifically initialed.
I had not initialed expanded gift powers.
Securities transactions?
Potentially within general authority.
Could Ryan pledge my account?
The POA itself might allow certain investment actions unless limited.
But Front Range’s internal policy required:
Certified POA.
Legal review.
Direct validation.
They had no certified current copy from Ryan at that time.
Then more important:
Fiduciary duty.
An agent must act loyally for principal’s benefit.
Using my separate assets to support Ryan’s business and lover-linked deal created self-interest/conflict.
Even if technical authority existed, fiduciary propriety was highly questionable.
Then Ryan never submitted the POA.
Why?
Text to Melissa:
If I use POA it looks worse. Need Lena to ratify.
There.
He knew.
Then my signature scan.
Forensic examiner later concluded:
The “spousal acknowledgment” signature was digitally reproduced from my earlier $250,000 investment authorization.
Same pixel artifacts.
Not a newly executed signature.
Document itself had been assembled electronically.
Was that forgery?
Potentially.
Criminal intent question.
Civil fraud certainly possible depending use.
Prosecutors opened separate review.
No charges yet.
Then Melissa texted:
You need to tell lender it isn’t a fresh signature.
Ryan:
It’s her signature and she agreed generally.
That was his worldview.
General benefit became consent.
Again.
Then the night of assault.
He wanted my fresh signature because the fake/repurposed one could not perfect collateral.
May you like
The deal was dying.
That was what Chapter 10 would finally establish fully.
