
Originally Posted by
Odette
So I've been working on a start up for over a year now, and for a while I've been debating getting out of it because my partners are slow at getting things done and seemingly don't like money...they refuse to follow a lot of my advice and go after larger orders for our product, instead wanting to make smaller, individualised sales which generate us little to no profit. I've been questioning their intelligence for a while, but one guy in particular, I've been thinking now might be kind of sketchy. The dude spends money like it's water and I don't understand where it is coming from, and it's starting to concern me that he might be involved in questionable activities. He has had one legitimate business for a while, and while he is successful, the amount of money he spends is baffling...house, new car, new condo, second home in Europe, fancy furniture and decorations, the list goes on. Second red flag is that he is travelling all over the world every month or two. England, Spain, Italy, Dubai, Mexico, LA, etc. And I'm just sitting here like...how? Finally, this guy owns a "share" in a bar, and when I asked our other partner about the rich one and how he makes his money, his answer is "I don't know, I see the cash cut he gets every night at the bar...but other than that I don't know." Every night? What kind of business gives out profit shares on a daily basis and in cash if there is no sketch factor? I don't know many other people who get cash daily other than adult industry workers, servers, and drug dealers/other shady businesspeople. Most business that operate on commission/percentage of sales payout will payout monthly or bi-weekly following monthly financial reports. It finally hit me today that maybe this rich guy is not a complete fucking idiot, but in fact a pretty smart criminal and has other purposes for this business other than making legitimate profits. It could be as simple as a means to claim tax losses, or maybe something more complicated like money laundering for illegal profits from??? I don't even want to know. I think something isn't adding up, and it's making me pretty uncomfortable. I don't want to come out and just accuse anyone of anything because I don't know this rich partner very well and I think it good life policy to not piss off ambiguously rich people...also I could be wrong. But start-ups and small businesses are always prime targets for this kind of activity. Am I being super paranoid or does anyone else smell some bullshit too? I don't want to be involved in any shady businesses...that I am part owner of...working for a shady club is one thing because you're an independent contractor but this could get really messy if my hunch is right. Thank god I haven't signed any ownership/partnership agreements with them yet.
Bookmarks