Chapter 8 - My mistake
I made my significant mistake forty-eight hours after the gala.
Not the cart.
That was already bad.
A second.
I ordered the DeLuca Legacy Foundation’s bank accounts frozen.
Not legally frozen.
I called our family office CFO and said:
“No outgoing payment without my approval.”
He complied for approximately forty minutes.
Then Miriam found out.
“Did you just assume control of a nonprofit’s bank account?”
“I’m chairman.”
“You are one board member.”
“Marcella stole from it.”
“Allegedly.”
“We have footage.”
“Not your footage to adjudicate.”
I stared.
“We need to preserve assets.”
“Yes. Through board resolution and bank controls adopted by authorized officers.”
“She has access.”
“Then suspend her access through emergency governance procedures.”
“That’s what I did.”
“No. You made yourself sole payment authority.”
There.
Old DeLuca behavior in a modern suit.
Problem.
Take control.
I rescinded.
Emergency board meeting.
Independent directors attended.
Marcella was suspended as executive director pending investigation.
Her credentials revoked.
Dual-approval controls imposed.
Our outside treasurer and independent director signed payments.
I recused from decisions directly involving Marcella’s employment and alleged theft where my personal conflict was obvious.
The foundation resumed operations.
Payroll went out.
Grants went out.
No charity program missed funding because Alaric DeLuca was angry.
Barely.
Miriam said afterward:
“Your daughter needs you to stop proving Marcella’s point about you.”
“What point?”
May you like
“That power means whatever you say in the moment.”
That landed.
