Want to get a second option on both: the case and my rights, given that some time has passed. This happened 4-5 years ago in NYC. I was poached by a recruiter (from a rather nice gig) for a VP Engineering role and promised a huge chunk of equity for the products that I would be in charge of building with the two co-founders. I worked rather long hours and took a pay cut on this to facilitate their vision. The co-founder kept paying me with personal checks or with checks issued by another company they have been running, which started to concern me. Long story short, the equity I was given (that made up a significant chunk of my package) never existed. The company on my hiring documentation did not exist, and the founders simply used the name of the platform on legal paperwork. I brought this up to them and was fired the next day for 'poor performance.' The attorney I originally spoke to said there is a case, but after spending a couple of thousands of dollars on this, I'm no longer in communication with him. What are my options? I do believe I was wronged and deceived. I would have never left the previous gig and taken a pay cut if both the company and equity were fake. I do feel that I need to get compensated for the equity that was promised. Both founders are millionaires and have a successful creative agency that they are currently running as a primary business.
You don’t need an attorney. You can just go to the California (or your own state) employment office. They have their own lawyers and will help you win the case. These guys deserve to go to jail if they’re using another company as their own.
Did you read the post? This happened in NYC
The company they used on paperwork is essentially the name of a platform they wanted to build. Bogus.
Also, if they did it to you, they probably have done it to others.
reminds me of a suits episode
your options are to pony up for a lawyer
Get a lawyer. Why did you stop talking to the old one?
He wanted $1000 and told me he will attempt to settle. Basically ended up sending them two certified letters and everything after that required another thousand dollars. I want to get some feedback before I start calling attorneys. Preferably from somebody with experience.
What do you get when you win the case? Equity on a non-existent company?