Legal Question in Business Law in California

Re: Business Screwed ME!

Sure, you can sue. Whether you'll ever get a dime back depends on what you can prove, and whether you can even find 'them', and whether they have anything to collect from when the time comes. I hope for your sake it is actually on ongoing business that stays alive until you do so. You can try to file criminal charges with the local police and Attorney General. You can try to claim fraud with your bank to reverse the charges. You may be forced into bankruptcy. Feel free to contact me for the legal help you'll need.

Re: Business Screwed ME!

Sounds like they defrauded you. If they have income, you might even be able to collect if you file a lawsuit and win.

Talk to the credit card companies and see if they could hold these people responsible, as well.

There's no need to keep kicking yourself. We all learn from our mistakes.

Re: Business Screwed ME!

Let's parse this. You claim to have a Master's degree, and that the institution that granted it to you is accredited by somebody. You gave away $25,000 without even a piece of paper to show for it. Now, for the first time, you are seeking legal advice.

When I answer these questions I often have to really, really restrain myself from telling people how stupid they are. I am not going to do that in your case.

It is not clear what kind of help you want. I would love to take your money, if you have any left, and sue all these people for your money back, but you would not be successful. No doubt they have already spent or hidden it.

You want to file for bankruptcy, and this could be done, but maybe you would be better advised to get a job and start paying back the money. Then you would have time to reflect on its value.

Re: Business Screwed ME!

A reasonable period of kicking yourself would be a good thing, especially if it results in your learning one or more of the following lessons:

Get everything in writing. Don't do stuff orally. Read contracts. Save copies of contracts that you sign. Never cosign. Never agree to arbitration.

Get legal advice early, and always in any matter involving serious money, real estate, or other serious risks.

Re: Business Screwed ME!

The best help is to ask a few questions back... Do your partners have money from the business? Does the business have assets? If there is money to be recovered, then it is worth pursuing. If collection is doubtful even if you get a judgment, you need to carefully consider that in evaluating your situation. There isn't enough information in your post to determine the best course of action. As a colleague is fond of advising folks, you have to pay the same in fuel to haul a load of manure as a load of diamonds. Get any papers you have (e.g. those credit card statements, etc.) together and walk through it with an attorney. You need to do a cost-benefit analysis of whether a lawsuit is likely to help you or just become another expense. Make sure the credit cards are cut off and those folks don't have any ability to continue to use your name or money. Consider whether you just earned a very expensive post-graduate degree from the School of Hard Knocks.