Chapter 4 - THE SHELL COMPANY
Derek had created Cole Strategic Services eighteen months earlier.
Simple LLC.
Official purpose:
consulting.
Then several Whitmore Logistics vendors began paying:
market research fees,
placement fees,
expediting fees.
Total:
$412,000.
Derek said:
legitimate consulting.
Problem:
He was an employee of Whitmore Logistics while taking payments from vendors seeking contracts.
Conflict.
Possible kickbacks.
Then Caroline appeared.
She owned forty percent of Cole Strategic.
Indirectly.
Through:
CMB Holdings.
CMB:
Caroline Marie Brooks? No. Caroline Marie Whitmore.
She had used her maiden initials.
Evelyn stared at the records.
“You were taking vendor money together?”
Caroline snapped:
“It was consulting.”
Michael answered:
“Then explain why several vendors received larger Whitmore contracts within sixty days of paying Cole Strategic.”
Correlation.
Not automatic bribery.
But ugly.
Then one payment.
$90,000.
From a debt-placement firm.
Memo:
WHITMORE FAMILY OFFICE INTRODUCTION.
Evelyn frowned.
“What introduction?”
Michael turned the page.
Caroline had represented herself as:
Authorized Family Office Representative.
She was not.
Then another document.
A private credit line.
Borrower:
CMB Holdings.
Amount:
$1.6 million.
Collateral description:
expected Whitmore family distributions and beneficial interests.
Caroline had borrowed against inheritance she did not currently own.
May you like
The lender accepted based on representations.
And Derek had helped package the documents.
