He claimed I had agreed to placement.
Then he forged the documents that made it appear true.
I asked Miriam how a lie like that could have survived so many years.
She answered carefully.
“Because the people who should have protected you failed.
Some may have believed his story.
Others may have ignored warning signs.
And some appear to have participated in wrongdoing.”
I stared at the papers.
“Can he be charged?”
“Investigators are reviewing what offenses may be provable and whether they can still be prosecuted after this much time.
I won’t promise an outcome we don’t have.”
It wasn’t the answer I wanted.
But it was an honest one.
Meanwhile, the financial investigation had continued.
Celeste’s cooperation led investigators to additional records.
Several accounts had been used to conceal payments.
Two former employees described instructions to alter invoices.
Another admitted that Mark had pressured her to backdate documents.
