Let's say you worked for years trying to find a way to put a positive image on pool and saw live streaming as an avenue to do just that. You run across someone with streaming experience that you adamantly thought felt the same way as you and had been wanting to pursue things as a full time job while simultaneously promoting the sport he/she loved but just didn't have the funds to do so. You see it as a win-win situation and loan that person the money (let's say around 8K or so). To further help things you purchase items from him/her at full price refusing the offered discounts as a way of support (let's say another 2K or so), work hundreds of hours helping behind the scenes, and then have that person soon thereafter claim the loan portion was a donation/contribution and not in fact a loan. Let's assume that do to time constraints (brought about by an upcoming very important tournament or ?) you were unable to get the loan in writing, you thought you could emphatically trust that person, and the loan was witnessed by three other people beside yourself -- what would you do?
with out more facts I cant really comment- it would be a from the hip guess.
What I do know is I have seen more deals go bad and broken promises than any other period of my life, I have been a biz man my whole life and grew up as a only child lisitining to my parents(who were bangers at best) and biz people. So pretty much the last 30 years I been around biz of this nature, no Wall Street big time mergers etc. And in those 30 years I have never seen so many dishonest moves made by normally other wise honest people. I believe with this depression were in good people are doing bad things-who might not otherwise.
Between my biz partner and I we have 8-10 lawsuits active right now ALL based on verbal agreements we never made with construction, people we termatiated their position when we had a business(some are 5 year old claims), In each and everyone its ought rit fraudlant claims made againsts us. Suing us is a cottage industry in Vegas because people think we still have $$. I had a contractor who was in biz for 26 years ZERO complaints run off with $370,000 about 18-36 months ago-poof my $$$ was gone. I was on the Morphine drip in Germany and took my eye off the ball. $320,000 was stolen there was $50K in work done. I have no recourse he is gone, me and one other guy were the only 2 people he robbed in 26 years. Granted I didnt have my eye on the ball but still he had no reason to steal my $$$.
Yesterday I had a guy who is a data analist last week do a job, I told him "We dont have the $$$ we had and I need a esaminte for the job". I recieved a INVOICE for $3800.00, my inhouse guys who arnt as smart said it was 2 hours work at the most. So yesterday I called him with my guys on the phone incase I needed support when I told the guy he was robbing me. I said $700 is all i'm gonna pay perion. He said "Great no problem, I'm looking foward to the next job-since we go back so far(7 years) our relationship is more important. I wonder how many phony invoices like that he submitted years ago when we were rolling. Guys with his talent make $250,000/yr or a dime a day. He dropped the incoice from $3800 to $700 with zero resistance, he didnt say one thing to defend his $3800 position. Talk about talking a shot.
If it aint in wrighting it dosnt exist, some states are single party statnes meaning you dont have tell the other person your recording the call and its admissable in court, so be careful on the phone. What ever it is you do do it in wrighting CYA-cover you azz.
I have helped out the streamers TAR to be specific, JCIN is a great guy and I hope to more with him in the future. We have a handshake deal and I'm totally fine with that, butthats getting rarer than ever.
I hope sharing my problems/mistakes shed some light on how NOT to handle yours and you can learn from my mistakes, I trusted people and made mistakes and am now paying the price. Besy of luck. FYI I'd tend tend to keep private at all costs, but as a last card then outing them is he move but save that silver buller and hope not to use it, once its shot. your leverage in the situation is weakeded severly. Getting lawyers involved is a losing cause-those bastards know how to get all the $$$ everytime. I only use them on big stuff. If a lawyer is going to cost me more than the case its not $$$ well spent. $8,000 is right on the bubble IMO. Tough call.
If I can help more please let me know, I dont have all the anwsweres or I wouldnt be in the picloes i'm in now, but I do have experience that may help. Best of luck, the most important thing at this point is to not let this happen again-at least thats what I have learned myself.
best
Fatboy
