ForumsStarting a Business

A Bad bit of family Business partners caught stealing.

Noah, You need a Lawyer on your side (or your mom's side).

People can go to jail for stealing.

Good luck, LUCKIEST

First of all, our heartfelt empathy for your situation. Seems like a disease these days (family against family, lying, cheating, stealing, wow). We recently discovered that the party behind the destruction of our hugely successful online business was a jealous family member who took it upon himself to slowly, methodically and maliciously sabotage our Google results until we had no business or livelihood. This happens without knowing it, until it is too late.

Number one ... tell your mom she is not the victim. That mindset alone will disallow her from seeing the opportunities present within the current situation to benefit and prosper in a way that may not first seem obvious.

For example, in an attempt to revive our business we redesigned our sites, streamlined and improved our terms with vendors, and scaled back expenses. These are all things that will catapult a business or investment as soon as one clears the obstruction.

Although we are not familiar at all with California law, etc., we would just like to offer a different way of looking at the situation so that, upon learning greater details about your mom's options, you guys will not only see the forest through the trees, but perhaps a whole new opportunity to prosper in ways you both may have only previously dreamed of (this is usually how your deepest desires present themselves...within the greatest challenges, through which, if handled with positivity, can earn you the skills and perspective you need to have the things/situations you most wanted!).

Number Two ... Tell as many people as you can about your mom's situation including a good lawyer, of course (there are some who may even take the case on contingency, and collect a portion of the settlement), the media, local organizations, other family members, neighbors, etc. You'd be surprised how public conscience can turn a collective tide against individuals who have broken the most sacred of all trusts (children to clergy, citizen to police officer, brother to sister, etc.) and effect the end result towards the resolution of immoral, unethical and plain out illegal behavior.

The greatest challenge is to convert feelings of anger and self-pity into a feeling of excitement that the situation has, within it, the opportunity to bring you and/or your mom to a whole new level of perspective, understanding and possibly prosperity, (warning: this is the hardest part!). Once you can achieve that, the answer and help will come, no doubt. It has worked beautifully for us.

You have truth, justice and the universe on your side - now just go out, round them all up and win.

Best Wishes...
Siren International

Collaboration works only when both sides are committed to being honest and ethical. Moral intelligence is a waning commodity these days.

The BEST advice (consult an attorney, etc.) has already been offered, but here's another approach: If you and your mom can stand the attention (and everything she has done is above board), consider taking this to the media. Not to make light of a situation that I'm sure is very serious and painful for you, but you've described a story that involves millions of dollars, crime, deception, and family. There's an investigative journalist somewhere who would eat all that up with a spoon.

As I said, it wouldn't be my first or preferred course of action, but when you're the "underdog" in a situation and your actions and behaviors can withstand public scrutiny (and the other party's can't), media attention is a wild card you can play when the issue is a major one. Plus investigative reporters have friends and contacts in the DA's office, AG's office, and at federal agencies -- so they can often get someone they know to start "poking into" something that wouldn't have enough priority to warrant investigation if you reported it.

You might also consider the services of a private investigator (an attorney will likely suggest that, too). If your uncles are cheating family members, they're cheating other people, as well. Those people may be potential allies for your mom. Besides, the more evidence you can gather and the bigger case you can make before you do anything, the more leverage you'll have when you do it.

I wish you the best, and hope there's a satisfying resolution soon.