Chapter 4
Veronica denied wrongdoing through counsel.
Her explanation was polished.
The foundation had already discovered suspicious transfers.
Sofia supervised finance and grants.
Veronica prepared an insurance notice because directors had fiduciary duties to protect donor funds.
Then Sofia disappeared.
Naturally, suspicion increased.
Dominic listened to Veronica’s lawyer summarize this in Mara’s interview room.
Then asked:
“If Sofia stole the money, why didn’t anybody tell me?”
Veronica answered:
“You were her husband.”
“I’m also chairman of Bellaforte Holdings.”
“Not the foundation.”
True.
Sofia had insisted the foundation board remain independent from Dominic’s businesses.
That decision now prevented Veronica from arguing Dominic should have been informed automatically.
Mara asked:
“Who identified Sofia as the responsible person?”
Veronica said:
“Accounting.”
Accounting disagreed.
The foundation controller, Henry Walsh, told investigators:
“I told Ms. Bellaforte the transfers were irregular.”
“Which Bellaforte?”
“Veronica.”
“Did you tell her Sofia authorized them?”
“No.”
“Did you tell her Sofia stole money?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then why was Sofia named in the insurance notice?”
Henry looked stunned.
“I didn’t know she was.”
He provided internal logs.
Several questionable payments required two approvals.
One belonged to a finance manager.
The second came through an executive approval credential assigned to Sofia.
That looked bad.
Then information technology reviewed access.
The approvals occurred while Sofia was on maternity leave.
Two happened during documented pediatric appointments with Rose.
One while Sofia was physically at Dominic’s estate, captured on security video nowhere near the foundation office.
Remote approval was possible.
So was delegated access.
The question became:
Who had Sofia’s credentials?
Sofia had complained about that exact issue.
An email to IT:
My approval token was used while I was offline. Revoke all delegated access until we identify who is routing these.
Date:
Eleven days before she disappeared.
Reply:
Access reset. No further delegation active.
Then Veronica emailed Sofia privately:
You are creating panic over accounting mechanics.
Sofia:
Restricted donor money is not an accounting mechanic.
Veronica:
Do you understand what a public investigation does to us?
Sofia:
Yes. That is why we should discover the truth before someone else does.
No threat.
No confession.
But the argument was documented.
Then Mara found another clue.
The commercial crime insurer asked Veronica:
Has law enforcement been notified regarding suspected employee theft?
Veronica replied:
Family believes Ms. Bellaforte may have voluntarily absconded. Police missing-person matter is open. Criminal referral pending.
That phrasing bothered Mara.
Not missing.
Absconded.
Not potentially harmed.
May you like
Employee theft.
Veronica had begun converting Sofia from victim to suspect almost immediately.
