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Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

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Re: Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

#31

Post by mousetree »

cordialthank wrote: post #13
throwawaywork0 wrote: post #4

Unless you want to do more business specifically with said investors, I would not recommend this. Whistle blowers almost always suffer and in this situation you have no moral obligation to the public but rather to some private figures. If I were you, I'd enjoy having an easy job. That said, is your company hiring?

After the "scary market downturn" they started hiring only people from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, other South Asian countries in order to avoid paying six figures.

Why do they keep hiring people if there is no product to build?

Re: Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

#34

Post by Beltiras »

fasteo wrote: post #30

>>> When I say "no product" I literally mean it. It only exists on a powerpoint slide without a single line of code implemented. It seems obvious to me that VC is part of the scam >>> Should I anonymously inform investors that my startup employer is a scam, and if yes, how should I approach it? I wouldn't but, if you decide to inform don't report to the VC, but the people/entities above this VC (could be another VC,…

None of this is legal advice (IANAL).

If you live in a country where there are whistleblower protections you should talk with an attorney and see if you can report this to the relevant investigative authority under protection of that statute.

Re: Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

#35

Post by unixhero »

cordialthank wrote: post #15
psyclobe wrote: post #8

Go ahead and try it, I assure you that will be the end of your job there. Listen to others here, just leave. You will not break into that fuct up situation, you cannot improve it, no one will listen to you, and if you blow the whistle you'll be done.

Well this isn't about my job. I didn't mention once the problem was me losing my job or anything.

Good. Then please elanorate if you wsnt; what is it ypu want to achieve with informing someone about the situation?

Re: Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

#37

Post by imdsm »

mousetree wrote: post #31
cordialthank wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After the "scary market downturn" they started hiring only people from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, other South Asian countries in order to avoid paying six figures.

Why do they keep hiring people if there is no product to build?

Could be that they're siloed and there is product but OP is poorly informed. If they don't work there, then how could OP truly know?

Re: Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

#38

Post by qikInNdOutReply »

Its a money laundering machine.. the oligarch invest dirty money into it, they buy equipment from other oligarch conglomerate companies, washing the money in the process.

Just build your dream project there, and then take it with you. Its basically a mafiosi incubator and the software is decoration and they do not recognize the value of it missing or ever having existed. Could be other things to. Empty houses in the middle of L.A or NY. Large Resource storages or car traders, dealing in circles.

Just make sure, there is no paper trail showing that you knew.

Re: Ask HN: Should I inform investors that my startup employer is a scam?

#40

Post by saluki »

Just make your exit, find another job, it's not worth your risk to pull back the curtain, the VC is responsible to be aware of the progress the startup is making and what their burn rate is, where their spending is going.

Stick around till you have an even better gig lined up.

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