By Todd Souvignier
NEW ORLEANS • October 16, 2006, 1AM - My elderly mother’s financial advisor called me back today, while I was at the park with my kids. Nancy’s grandkids.
He gave me his cell phone number years ago, the one time we met, to discuss her situation. Said I should call any time I had a concern.
I called him last night, 9:30PM Pacific, 11:30 Central. The message said he was on the phone and I went straight to voicemail. “Wes, this is Todd Souvignier, Nancy’s son, calling from New Orleans. Why are my mother’s assets frozen? What’d you do with her cash? I want you to call me back on 504 - ### ####.”
I called him again this morning, Sunday, 8:20AM Pacific, while the kids were out of earshot playing tetherball. “Wes, it’s Todd. Where’s Nancy’s money?” Ten minutes later the phone rings.
“Todd, this is Wes Rhodes.”
“Wes… I’m surprised to hear from you.”
“I got your messages.”
“I’m glad you called me, Wes. I really am. So what do you have to say for yourself?”
“When did you find out about this?”
“I found out last night, Wes.”
“What have you heard?”
“I read the SEC complaint, and the temporary restraining order.”
“Well, that’s old news.”
“Why don’t you bring me up to date, Wes?”
“This is all a huge misunderstanding. Your mother’s money is safe. It’ll all be worked out.”
“Why are her assets frozen?”
“Well, the receiver has taken over…”
“I know all about the receiver, Wes, I read the restraining order. We can’t even sue you right now.”
“Todd, you got this all wrong.”
“So straighten me out, Wes, tell me something that makes sense.”
“I can’t really talk about it, my lawyers…”
I cut him off – “But you talked to the B________s* all about it, even brought your wife to the party. Y’all get your stories straight?”
“What do you mean, Todd?”
“You and your accomplices, the B________s. You went to their house. Y’all in this together, aren’t you? They’re the ringers, who brought in the real suckers.”
“Todd, there were no accomplices…uh…there was no crime.”
“Oh really? So how’d you end up in this mess? Is this what you meant by stewardship?”
“Todd, first of all, your mother has more than $###,000 in the Schwab account…”
“I’m not talking about the Schwab account, you silly man. We’re talking about the side accounts. And bond accounts. Why didn’t you invest the money, dude? What’d you spend it on?”
“You sound like you’re upset, Todd.”
“You’re damn right I’m upset, and lucky for you, you’re dealing with me and not my father.”
“I’d have to agree with you on that.”
“So explain it to me, Wes: Where’s the misunderstanding?”
“Todd, the SEC complaint is so far from reality, this is all going to be straightened out but it’s going to take a while. The attorneys say I’m not even supposed to be making this call.”
“They’re giving you good advice, Wes.”
That confused him. “What do you mean by that?”
“I meant exactly what I said, silly. Your attorney is giving you good advice. You ought to listen to him.”
No response.
“So Wes, tell me about the cease-and-desist you got in 2000. Did you notify your clients that you weren’t a licensed financial advisor? Did you tell Nancy that you were found guilty and fined? Did you put that in your newsletter, mention it on your radio show?”
“Todd, that’s all out of context.”
“I don’t think so. Remember the time I came to visit your office? I think it was like 1998, 99?”
“Sure, I remember.”
“Remember me telling you about Nancy’s dad?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Should have paid attention. Granpa had Parkinson’s disease, very similar to what mom’s going through. The person he trusted with his money, the person he gave power of attorney, cleaned him out. Got everything but his house. You don’t remember that, Wes?”
“Uh…”
“She was convicted, did jail time. Remember me sitting there in your office, telling you how important it was this not be repeated?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Ya’ think we wouldn’t take this really personally?”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Come on, Wes. The pigs got you now. They’re going to hurt you worse than I ever could. I’m three thousand miles away. I don’t have to lift a finger. The cops are going to hang you out to dry.”
No reply.
“They’re going to love you at the Oregon State Pen, Wes. You steal the life support from little old ladies. You’re a real class act.”
“Todd, I don’t know where this is going.”
“It’s going nowhere. I’ll see you in court.”
I flipped the phone shut. I had nothing else to say. I turned off the ringer, stuck it in my front pocket, walked over to the tetherball pole, and got back in the game.
©2006 Todd Souvignier, all rights reserved.
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* Old family friends who also got ripped off. Not actually believed to be co-conspirators.