Over the last 2 years my husband and I have been contemplating divorce...we have now filed. After filing, I have discovered that he has been telling our customers that he is the owner and disparaging me to others...He has opened bank accounts in my company’s name without putting my name on the accounts, so I have no access. In Sept. he gave me a written and signed letter, resigning as an employee of my company. He took all of the money in the fraudulent bank accounts and all of the business equipment and sold it, having the check written from the purchaser to one of his family members... I have been the owner of this company for 15 years and now I have nothing. I have went to the banks and showed my LLC paperwork showing that I am the sole owner, one bank close the fraudulent account, the Other denied fraud even though I presented the proper documents. I now have debt with no source of income. To make things worse, the 2017 taxes are not completed and he has also stolen financial documents needed to complete them. His lawyer keeps asking for the paperwork that I have so that he can complete the paperwork for MY business! I feel like I am living in a nightmare. My lawyer has not even addressed any of this and we filed for divorce 8 months ago... He now has moved to another country to take another job for at least a year and requested and received a continuance from the court. I have already written to you about our custody situation... the accounts that we have jointly in both of our names are being paid by me so that my credit will not be ruined ( he had agreed with his prior lawyer to pay certain bills which he hasn’t and yes he has already fired one attorney) and has caused this divorce to drag out and now even further with the continuance. Property that was purchased with my businesses money has been given to other family members. How is it possible that he is guilty of embezzlement, fraud, kidnapping... the list goes on and on.... and I can do nothing about any of it? I have now spent what little money I had and am now living off a loan from a family member and my credit cards.... I cannot get direction from my Attorney, the banks, the police... Can you help me with where to go and what to do in this craziness? Because I was married to this man for 32 years and now going through a divorce that he initiated... Can he really get away with all of this? I know he has been plotting this for the last 2 years.... Does the divorce allow him to get away with all of this?
Re: I own a business and my husband is the manager..
So sorry to hear you are going through all of this, what a mess. Your ex sounds like a piece of work. I cannot fathom how a person can love you for so long and then betray you so brutally. I will never undestand human beings.
It doesn’t sound like your lawyer is the right one for you. I would look for another, someone with a game plan for dealing with the business side of the divorce settlement. You need a pitbull in your corner. With the continuance, you have an opportunity to switch.
Re: I own a business and my husband is the manager..
A couple of things here. You keep saying "my" business. The business assets and liabilities will be split 50/50 regardless of who's name is on the llc. This really only matters if you want to continue to run the business which it sounds like you are not capable. He may have a case for doing what he did however selling equipment, any profits or loans you are entitled to half.
Also, I agree with Mary that you need better representation. If you are not able to maintain your standard of living you need provisional relief and should have a hearing set. Keep track of everything.