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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?

#41
post #9

If you see fraud and you don't shout fraud, you are a fraud. Document your findings and do what is appropriate. After all, those VCs are managing people's money. They need to know.

If pursuing this strategy, step 0 should be consulting an excellent attorney.

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

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Maybe avoid criminal liability once the scam is uncovered? Even if you're just a regular employee, if you know about stuff like this and don't report it, you can be considered an accomplice...

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

#44
Go into the CEO's office, ask for a large raise and tell them the product is in a very bad shape and will require you to put your utmost effort to turn the ship around. If word were to get out, it would surely kill the company!

After you get the raise, go into your cubicle, close email and phone, and start working on your own projects until the moving guys come to take your desk.

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

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

That's pretty self-evident surely? What he wants to achieve is the investors having the information that they're being scammed - would you be asking "what are you trying to achieve" if someone was asking about telling someone that someone had just picked their pocket?

OP wants to inform investors that they're being defrauded because he sees it as the ethical thing to do - not everything has an ulterior motive. Sounds like he's wondering if there's any possible serious unforeseen repercussions that could befall him if he goes through with it (or doesn't). Losing the job (whether through quitting or getting fired for whistleblowing) is probably a foregone conclusion.

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

#46
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

OP:

> So I was hired in this startup a year ago.

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

#47
Find a new job ASAP. The company will fail eventually. If the investors aren't doing their due diligence, that's on them. Investors expect companies to fail more than succeed and they budget accordingly.

If the company has indeed defrauded its investors, that's between the company leadership and the investors. Unless you're involved directly enough to be potentially liable, this is above your pay grade.

If you think you may have been involved in defrauding the investors, talk to a lawyer. Otherwise, shut your mouth until you've found a new place and then carefully evaluate what you say to whom to minimize the risk of being thrown under the bus.

You'd be horrified if you knew how many companies sell products that don't exist beyond organically evolving powerpoint presentations. It only becomes fraud when the companies fail to deliver and can't meet their obligations and the customers aren't willing to agree to alternative resolutions.

It sounds like your employer is currently not very good at generating sales at all so the only defrauded party would be the investors and that would require knowing what your employer actually contractually agreed to deliver in return for the investment. Unless you're privvy to what's in those contracts, my advice would be to zip it and GTFO.

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

#49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

To... prevent someone from getting scammed? Why does OP need more justification than that, as if that's not a lofty enough goal?

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

#50
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Maybe avoid criminal liability once the scam is uncovered? Even if you're just a regular employee, if you know about stuff like this and don't report it, you can be considered an accomplice...

In that case an anonymous report will not work to their favor: they should talk to a lawyer, get out ASAP and then consider their next steps carefully.

This entire post hinges on OP's correct interpretation that their employer is engaging in fraud against investors. This isn't as straightforward as defrauding customers because it's easier to judge fraud in sales because you probably don't know the exact terms agreed to as part of that investment. It's entirely possible the VCs are in on it or will try to kill the messenger rather than admit they didn't see the fraud.

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