~~I was sitting in the Hibiscus restaurant at the Fort Harrison.
Mary (Shaw) Vogeding asked to join me for dinner.
We were in the back part of the restaurant usually for the elite. I only got asked back there when there were talks of money. In fact I remember my IAS Patron Donation took place back there with a tag team of “Love Bombers” can’t remember the names but they were a husband and wife team and both avid runners. Shit you’d have to be to keep up with the “weekending" Thursday a 2. There was also the beautiful Natalie Simms working with other Smurfs to get Super Power donations. Which mind you, I thought was for auditing not just “Hey! Here’s $46,000. Just keep it... I’ll make more don’t you worry you’re pretty little head off.
So I’m in the back room where I got to meet a Feshbach! Wow…who ARE you? Then of course a Wise Man, I mean a Bruce Wiseman. At the time I had a perfectly lovely “wog” (for lack of a better term) bookkeeper, accountant and broker….so lovely! And I had a good deal of money in Charles Schwaab. Had I left it where it was I wouldn’t be walking dogs but instead donating money to rescue them.... I digress.
The whole of the money in that account was transferred over that particular dinner to a man called Reed. I honestly remember feeling sick to my stomach after allowing it to happen. I tried several times through Kevin Burke to reach Reed. I told Kevin I changed my mind. I wanted my $126,000. back. I said Reed is not calling or writing back. The next call I got was from Kevin telling me that it was gone. All of it! I was numb. Soon I went from making $10,000 (before taxes) a week to nearly nothing. Wiseman and Burke dropped me. I hate to say the word rape, and I do know the physical pain of it….but this was a financial rape for sure.
Years later I got to speak at the appeals hearing with my daughter. We went to the courthouse in downtown California and I got to meet Reed for the first time.(he looked just like this) I was shaking when I stood up in front of the judge with my little girl to introduce myself. This was my letter…
LECG October 20.08
Mr Troszak
Mr R Todd Neilson
To Whom it may concern,
My name is Cathy Schenkelberg and I’m writing in regards to Reed Slatkin. My daughter and I plan to attend the hearing on the 28th of October. I would like to be considered to communicate the following words if possible.
Dear Mr Slatkin,
I would like to introduce myself to you. I am a single mother of a now 13 year old daughter, Fiona. We are from Chicago. Though I’ve never married I managed on my own to save money for my daughter’s future. Growing up in a family of ten kids back in Nebraska I was never brought up with an understanding of what it would be like to save money let alone have it. We lived hand to mouth but with an abundance of love. I came into success after moving to Chicago, not as a famous actress, but as a working one. Through voice-over and a kids t.v. show, I put away a percentage of my income plus was able to buy my first home. My accountants had recommended you, Mr Slatkin. I agreed and my $126,000 was transferred for you to manage. Within a few months of trying to contact you with letters, email and by phone I started to get nervous. Not once did you respond. Nothing. I wanted out and the 4 years it took to save was gone in 3 months. Just gone.
That same year my union went on strike and I was out of work for 6 months. For years I had been asking for child support from my daughters father. When I finally filed and went to court, within months it became not about child support but turned into a custody case. I had zero funds to pay for lawyers, my daughter was then 5 1/2 years old and I had to use credit cards and take out a loan. Your name and the loss of my savings was mentioned in the court room. Though I won in custody I hadn’t in debt. You see, Mr Slatkin, you had my only reserve. Over the course of 5 years I was in debt to credit cards and a second on my home at $180,000. Though my debt exceeded the amount lost with you, I couldn’t help thinking I have nothing saved for our future and now I’m in debt for the first time in my life. I have tried to recover financially for years. I’ve raised my daughter well. However it all became to much and I have finally filed chapter 7 and continue to forge through my mistakes in judgement. I don’t regret fighting for her, I do however, ponder what if. Though I’m not a victim in life I am in a way a victim of your behavior.
I’m sure others have lost far more than me. That money I earned honestly was my millions. Some have said, “Well at least you didn’t lose what others have lost” but that brought no solace to the fact. In a short 3 months I had put my trust in you to keep safe an investment made in faith, without the courtesy of returning my phone calls and letters of introduction. I told you of my life with my 5 year old daughter thinking you probably had children of your own. I guess I assumed you would take care of our future the way you would your own kids.
I don’t blame you for my union going on strike, my lack of work during that time nor my custody case. I do however feel sad for you knowing the burden you have caused others who had faith in you. As a parent I’m sure you would want the same future for your children as I do for mine. Maybe they are well taken care. My goal wasn’t for quick riches. My goal was for college, retirement and maybe a vacation now and then. I don’t forgive you for what you did, but I do forgive myself for an error in judgement. I really hope that on some small level you know the big impact you had on mine and Fiona’s life. Your name is a part of our history, but what you did continues to be a part of our present life.
Sincerely yours,
Cathy Schenkelberg