Chapter 264 Going to Court II: A Villain's Triumph
The courtroom was filled with a heavy silence as everyone involved in the case took their seats in their designated places.
The judge entered, and the room stood in unison.
After everyone was seated again, the judge officially declared the court in session.
The prosecution's attorney, Fergus Jensen, rose to deliver the opening statement. "Ladies and gentlemen of the court, let me outline the key points of this case. First. On February 15 of last year, the Lockhart Group acquired the Flower Beach International property from Wyatt. The property, valued at $45 million, was purchased for $25 million. The Lockhart Group paid $25 million in taxes based on the purchase price. However, an additional $20 million was transferred privately through five separate transactions into Wyatt's personal account on March 3, May 12, June 18, July 5, and September 20 of last year. This money was used by Lockhart Group's chairman, Theodore, to bribe the Director of the Planning Bureau with $1.5 million.
"Second, On March 15 of last year, during the bidding process for the Flower Beach International project, Theodore secretly arranged with the winning contractor to bribe the Planning Bureau Director again to ensure the smooth progress of the project. On May 21 of this year, the DOJ received a whistleblower report from William, a contractor for Flower Beach International. The report alleged that Theodore had committed tax evasion and bribed the Planning Bureau Director with up to $3.5 million. The whistleblower provided detailed private contract agreements and a list of bribes, which were corroborated by the bribed Planning Bureau Director.
"Based on this evidence, the prosecution is formally charging Theodore with these crimes."
The judge nodded in acknowledgment. "The charges are accepted. Please submit the evidence to the court."
"Yes, Your Honor," Fergus replied respectfully, handing over the evidence to the court staff.
The staff then presented the documents to the bench.
Fergus continued, "Your Honor, may I call the key witness to the stand?"
"Proceed."
The first person to take the stand was, naturally, the whistleblower, William.
Cecilia sat in the audience, her gaze fixed on the disheveled, rotund middle-aged man before her.
William stood in the courtroom, clearly uneasy. Fergus approached him with a reassuring smile. "Don't be nervous. Just answer my questions honestly."
"Alright," William nodded quickly.
"Can you explain why you decided to blow the whistle on Theodore? I understand that you absconded with the entire construction fee for Flower Beach International. Are you aware of the legal consequences you're facing now?"
William admitted, "I know that coming back means I'll be facing legal penalties. I also acknowledge that I did take the entire construction fee. But I was pushed to the edge by Theodore; I felt I had no choice."
"Please, provide the details clearly."
William took a deep breath, seemingly gathering his composure before speaking. "When I initially took on the Flower Beach International project, Theodore promised me I would make at least $25 million. But throughout the construction, Theodore kept increasing my costs. The bid didn't specify the materials, but he insisted I use the most expensive ones. At this rate, not only would I not make a profit, but I'd end up losing a lot of money. In a fit of frustration, I decided to take the construction fee and run."
"Why did you decide to come back after making that choice?" Fergus asked.
"I thought I'd just disappear with the money. I had enough to live comfortably for a long time. But the money didn't sit right with me. I couldn't enjoy it, and I was haunted by nightmares, always fearing that one day the police would catch up with me. Instead of living in constant fear, I had planned to turn myself in eventually. What really pushed me to come back was hearing that Flower Beach International was about to start construction again. I couldn't bear the thought of the project I was so passionate about ending up with me as a fugitive. So, I decided to report Theodore and turn myself in."
William spoke with a smooth, practiced delivery, clearly having prepared his statements in advance. His story seemed reasonable and well-articulated.
In the audience, Dominic chuckled softly, his satisfaction evident.
Ophelia, Vincent, Andrew, and Juliana all felt a secret thrill of satisfaction.
Just thinking about Theodore ending up behind bars filled them with glee. With Theodore out of the picture, the Lockhart Group would be theirs to command.
In their eyes, a mere Cecilia, no matter how formidable she was, wouldn't stand a chance alone.
"Mr. William, how did you come to know about Theodore's private contract with Wyatt?" Fergus asked, shifting his focus.
"Well, it had something to do with me. I had collaborated with the Lockhart Group on a couple of smaller projects before. One day, I overheard some Lockhart Group employees discussing their intention to buy the Flower Beach International land. Since the landowner is a distant relative of mine, I made the connection. Of course, I had my own motives—I figured that facilitating the deal would improve my chances of landing the Flower Beach International construction contract. After multiple attempts, the deal went through. The contract required an additional $20 million in a private agreement. Wyatt was worried that the Lockhart Group might back out after signing, so I did some persuading on his behalf. I was fully aware of the details."
"I see. I now have a clear understanding of the case," Fergus said, then turned respectfully to the judge. "Your Honor, I request that the other key witnesses in this case be brought in to verify the accuracy of Mr. William's testimony."
"Granted," the judge replied.
The next witness called was Wyatt.
Under Fergus' questioning, Wyatt quickly responded, "Yes, when I was asked to sign the private contract, I was concerned about getting paid. So, I informed William about it, and he provided a written guarantee, which is why I agreed to it. I have the private contract signed between me and Theodore, as well as William's written guarantee."
Fergus took the documents from Wyatt and submitted them to the court, then addressed Wyatt, "Are you aware that private transactions are illegal?"
"I wasn't aware. I come from a farming background and only have a middle school education. If it weren't for this land deal, I'd probably still be working the fields. The Lockhart Group told me that using a private contract would significantly reduce taxes. I didn't understand why buying and selling would be taxed in the first place; I don't pay taxes on my vegetables, so it seemed normal to me that not paying taxes would be the way to go. I never imagined it would be illegal. My only concern about the private contract was whether I'd actually get paid."
Wyatt's explanation seemed reasonable enough.
Cecilia watched coldly, thinking, 'Dominic has indeed prepared thoroughly for this.'
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