Chapter 7 - Graham’s Signature
Celeste had conflicts.
Graham had signatures.
That became unavoidable.
He approved three Cresswell contract renewals.
One at $2.9 million.
Another at $3.4 million.
He never asked who owned the vendor.
He signed because Celeste recommended.
Why?
“She was CFO.”
The independent board lawyer replied:
“And you were CEO.”
Graham stopped defending himself.
An audit found Celeste had not forged his approvals.
No deception on the face of the contracts.
The conflict disclosure was simply absent.
Graham could have asked.
He didn’t.
He also signed Northgate’s nonbinding LOI without obtaining an independent valuation.
Again:
Not fraud.
Poor governance.
Graham took temporary leave as CEO while the board investigated.
He hated it.
Then remembered Amelia on the floor.
May you like
His professional humiliation felt small.
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