Larry and Robert entered and introduced themselves before sitting down on the couch. They began with small talk and then got straight down to business. Harvey made his presentation, offering offshore guarantees—large and quick returns—and explaining how they would be paid and how to hide their money so they wouldn’t pay taxes.
“Everyone is doing it these days,” Harvey declared.
Larry asked a few procedural questions, wanting to know how the money would move around. The questions were part of the rehearsal that Larry and Robert had worked on earlier. Harvey responded by saying, “It’s all legal…well, in foreign banks, anyway. But don’t you worry about a thing, Harvey Goldman is on the case.” He laughed and Robert and Larry laughed with him.
Larry questioned Harvey again, intentionally asking about SEC regulations and investment laws in order to use it against him in a court of law. Harvey took the bait and rambled on, convicting himself. Robert and Larry took the pen from Harvey and started signing the documents. I sat on the barstool in the kitchen area, my mind in a mess. My anger was building and I did not know if I could hold it together. I had to do something.
I walked into the second bedroom where my purse was, and came back out a few minutes later. I pranced up to the table as Robert was signing his forms and I threw a check for $50,000 on the table. “Here, Uncle Peter,” I told him, “invest some for me.”
Robert looked at me and said, “What are you doing?”
“I want to make an initial investment,” I replied. “For my sister.”
We were interrupted by a knock on the door. I turned, shocked, wondering who it could be.
Larry jumped up and said, “I’ll get it.”
He answered the door to one of the female agents I had seen earlier. She walked right up to me and said, “There’s my favorite niece. Are you ready to go shopping? Everyone’s waiting for you.”
Larry chimed in, “You go ahead, Kelly, we’ll pull the door shut when we leave.”
“Get your purse now, we gotta go,” the woman said, placing her hand on my shoulder and giving me a gentle shove. I followed her lead, walking out of the door, not entirely sure what was happening. I found out later, it was plan “B” which had been set up in case I did anything to jeopardize the execution, or failed to keep my composure.
***
The next day, I changed my cell phone number. I was instructed to stay at Penny’s house until further notice, for my own protection. Sitting at the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette, I replayed in my mind what Harvey had said.
Her name was Penny.
I finally got him to admit it, but not when and where I wanted him to. All I heard from Robert was, the wheels are in motion, and just have patience. It was easy for him to say, he wasn’t the one who had lost his sister.
Two weeks went by and nothing changed. Waiting was not my specialty. I wanted to get back to my life. I missed my car. I missed Janine. I missed Vegas. But was that really my life? Harvey said he changed, but it seemed that I was the one who had changed.
Three weeks. Four weeks. Then two months passed. I wondered how long it was going to take. I was getting cabin fever. I needed to get away. Then the day finally arrived: I received the call. The initial investment was tracked and the money trailed. Harvey thought he wired the money into an offshore bank, but he actually sent it to a phony account set up by the FBI. Warrants were pending and his personal and business bank accounts were frozen.
“It’s just a matter of days,” Larry told me. “Oh, yeah, your $50,000 is evidence and it will take a while to get it to you.”
Like I really cared.
I decided I would go to Vegas, get my car and go on a road trip to wherever I felt like going, but not before I went to my hair stylist. I had my hair cut shoulder-length and colored it. I was now a dirty brunette with red highlights; I also darkened my eyebrows back to brown.
When I arrived in Vegas, I called Rick to pick me up at the airport, the first words out of his mouth were, “He’s here.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Harvey Goldman.”
Harvey had been looking for me for the past two weeks. He was staying at the New York, New York hotel waiting for me to show up. I went straight to the Monte Carlo to check on my car, then to my room to get a shower. I called the hotel main desk and requested for Reuben. I needed a favor—not that kind of favor. He came to my room and I told him that someone was stalking me and that I needed him and someone to teach him a lesson.
Three days later, Robert called to check on me and I told him I was in Las Vegas, to which he replied, “So am I.”
Robert and Larry, along with several agents, arrived that morning. A warrant for Harvey's arrest was issued and they began looking for him.
“The local sheriff’s department has gone to all of Harvey’s hot spots, but no luck finding him,” Robert said. “You were with him for weeks, is there any place you know he could be hiding?”
Sure, I know where he is, but I’m not telling.
“I don’t know where he could be,” I said. “But if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
Rick followed Harvey’s every move, monitoring all of his financial and business activities. With his assets frozen, Harvey was in the hotel casino spending his days gambling. He also kept a large amount of cash on hand, and his last ditch effort to recoup his losses was to win big. If anyone could win, it would be him. He was in a different casino every day, raking in the chips at the tables. His winnings were beyond a streak of luck.
***
It was almost midnight when Rick called to tell me where Harvey was gambling. He was on a roll and getting a lot of attention.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked Rick.
“He’s got an entourage, there are onlookers and fans crowded around him because he is winning so much money.”
Playing Wheel of Fortune at the Flamingo, Harvey won over a million dollars.
I immediately called Reuben and told him where Harvey was so he could take care of him. I was debating whether to call Robert or not, but day after day, all I could hear in my mind was Harvey’s voice saying, “Her name was Penny.” No matter how hard I tried, I could not erase it from my thoughts. I wanted revenge, he had to pay for what he did to my sister.
With Rick keeping an eye on Harvey, Reuben and his men would struggle to get close enough to confront him, so I called Rick and asked him to pick me up from my hotel. I texted Reuben and let him know what was going on, he messaged me back to say he would let me know when it had been dealt with.
As this was happening, Harvey was cashing in his winnings. He had done what he set out to do, winning enough money to reimburse Larry and Robert’s investment, along with my investment of $50,000. He left through the back door of the casino and walked to his car, parked around the back of the casino. He stopped short and walked behind a dumpster to pee. As he stood against the wall, taking a leak, Reuben and his guys decided to seize their opportunity.
On our way to the Flamingo, sitting in the back of Rick’s car, I got the text from Reuben that said, “Situation handled.”
Harvey’s vulnerable position, taking a piss, prevented him from defending himself and Reuben’s friends had knocked him unconscious and robbed him, stealing over a million dollars of cash and chips. I called Robert and told him what casino Harvey was at. The FBI agents were in pursuit, while Rick and I headed to the Flamingo; the chase was on.
Rick and I arrived at the casino, but we couldn’t see Harvey anywhere. Fifteen minutes later, Robert showed up. His agents, along with several local police officers, stood in the hotel lobby, ready to split up and search for Harvey. Meanwhile, Harvey regained consciousness. Bruised and battered, and a victim of assault and robbery, he stumbled his way back into the casino to report the incident to the casino security.
Harvey staggered his way to the hallway of the lobby area, looking for security. I heard someone say, “Is that him?” at which point I turned, looked and saw him.
He had no shoes and was wearing just his socks. He was unshaven, his hair ruffled; dirt and slime coated his expensive suit and his white shirt was saturated with blood which had run down from his face. His watch was gone from his wrist and his cufflinks were also missing. Harvey saw the police standing in the lobby, so he assumed that someone had called 911 on his behalf. He hurriedly shuffled his way towards Robert and Larry, who were wearing bullet proof vests and black jackets emblazoned with “FBI” and “SEC” on the back.
When Harvey walked up to them, he was in shock. “Uncle Pete?” he said. Then he looked at Robert and said, “Steve? What are you guys doing here?” Without hesitation, Harvey was handcuffed and read his Miranda rights.
10
The Letter
Transported back to New York City, Harvey was arraigned in court and sent to county jail whilst he awaited a trial date. Considered a flight risk with possible funds from other embezzlements, Harvey’s passport was confiscated and he was denied bail. Legacy Investments, Inc. was raided the next day, confiscating all computers, files, legal documents, investment contracts and bank account records.
Three months and six days after his arrest, a trial date was set. Studying law for over a year did not make me an expert, but I was familiar with the legal system, so when I found out it would take nine months or longer before jury selection and the trial would begin, I was not shocked.
Emotionally and financially devastated, and confined to an eight-by-ten cell, Harvey was finally going to answer for his fraudulent activities. He was looking at the possibility of 10 to 20 years in prison, the prosecutor offered him a plea deal of five to eight years if he cooperated, but Harvey turned it down claiming he was innocent. When questioned, he refused to discuss any details, hiding behind his corporate attorney.
***
I tried to get on with my life. I enrolled in online classes, trying to finish my law degree. Every Friday I went to the cemetery to visit Mom, Dad and Penny. It was difficult at first, but talking to Penny at her gravesite brought me comfort, relief and peace. I told Penny everything that had happened and how it had turned out. Each time I left the graveyard, I would look at her tombstone and say, “Love you to the moon and back.”
That afternoon, I went to the grocery store and returned to Penny’s flat. Entering the apartment complex, I stopped to retrieve my mail. Sorting through the envelopes in the elevator, my heart stopped; I dropped the groceries to the floor when I saw a letter from the Otisville Correctional Facility. It was a medium security state prison 70 miles northwest of New York City, near the Pennsylvania and New Jersey borders.
Even though the identity with the return address was an inmate number, #768990931-OFC, I knew it was Harvey. Holding it in my hand, I started shaking uncontrollably. The elevator door opened and I did not move. The door started to close, but quickly reopened. A tenant on my floor stood at the entry staring at me. I looked up to hear him say, “Are you getting off or going down?”
I did not answer him.
Instead, I walked out, leaving my groceries on the elevator floor.
“Hey, lady,” the man said when he saw my belongings, “You forgot your bags.”
I just kept walking down the hall to my apartment, the whole time staring at the letter. I set the letter on the kitchen table, sat down and lit a cigarette.
What should I do?
I looked at my lighter and considered burning the letter, but curiosity got the best of me and I opened it.
Dear Kelly,
I wanted to write you sooner, but it took me this long to find out where you lived. If you are reading this letter, please read it in its entirety.
Let me begin by saying how sorry I am. I am not proud of my actions or the bad decisions I have made. I cannot write everything because it is too dangerous. My life is at risk, and if anyone involved finds out your identity, you will be in danger too. So, for your safety, I will not reveal certain information.
What I will tell you is that I did not kill Penny. I cared about her a lot. That night I did go to her apartment, but I went there to warn her not hurt her. I told her the truth and I agreed to help her get out of town. I was supposed to meet her the next day and take her to the airport, but someone, who I cannot name in this letter, took her life and framed me. I can prove everything, but I need your help.
When I met you, you looked so much like Penny it was freaky. I never told Penny, but I was in love with her. We did not date, but we talked many times and kissed once in the parking garage. She was an amazing person. When she became a target, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her so I tried to force her to quit by making advances at work. I didn’t know what else to do, she was getting too close and some powerful people were onto her. So, when I found out, I tried to warn her. But I was too late.
When I met you, not knowing your true identity, I fell in love. That’s why I never wanted you like the other girls; I wanted to get you out of that lifestyle.
Kelly, it is too dangerous for you to stay where you are. You need to go in hiding – tonight! I’m serious. The people who killed Penny, killed my father and have held my mother in captivity for ten years. I know what pain you are feeling. For my mom’s release, I have had to do many bad things, but I only did it with the promise of her freedom. That never happened.
If you want to find who killed Penny, you need to come and talk with me in person, but if you do, bring an attorney. It is the only way we can talk in private without being recorded. I will tell you everything you need to know.
Even if you never want to be with me again, I want to make the person who is responsible pay for what they did. Until now, I have lived in fear for my life. But now, I guess I will spend it in prison anyway, so I have nothing to lose.
In closing, I will take a risk, I want to tell you I love you. Please, please, please believe me. I am not who people say I am. I am sorry for hurting you and if you let me, I will make it up to you. The best way to do that is to catch the real killer.
If you choose not to do anything because you don’t trust me, I understand. So, if I never see or hear from you again, know two things: I know who killed Penny and I love you.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Harvey Goldman
One Last Thing…
This is Part I of a III Series:
Part II of the Shamed Billionaire, is out on the 31st May 2014.
Newsletter for the Part II in the series:
http://eepurl.com/SoLmv
When you turn the page you will give you the opportunity to rate the book and share your thoughts through Facebook and Twitter. If you believe your friends would enjoy this book, I’d be honored if you could post your thoughts, and if you enjoyed it, I would be grateful if you could post a review.
Take care,
Apryl
The Plan Page 10
