(Publisher’s Note: They knew something was really wrong when layoffs took place and getting paid still was not guaranteed, but once 27 federal indictments followed the first charge of wire fraud in early June, most suspicions were confirmed. But, for about a year anyway, the dream of a revitalized downtown Wheeling was alive and believed.)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Well, folks, it sure appears the federal government has issues with the ol’ boss, and U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld promised in the press release there’s additional charges coming in the future. Remember now, in this great country of ours the indicted is innocent until proven guilty, of course, but it sure seems karma came home to roost at the very moment Jeffrey James Morris was arraigned and charged with federal wire fraud Friday afternoon.
Now, as for us, the 100 or so former employees, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing at all. And that includes the man’s inner circle, too, because those former “best friends” were caught off guard, as well.
But hey, it was easy to take the job. The promised-to-be salary was more than any other business was offering at the time, and it didn’t matter what the position entailed. And yeah, we all wanted to play a part in accomplishing what Morris said he was going to do for the city of Wheeling.
And somehow, it all sounded believable, and that’s only because we really, really wanted to believe it, and when Roxby was the talk of the town after acquiring three of Wheeling’s most mysterious properties, it sure seemed everyone wanted to get involved with IT, too. Now, whatever IT really was supposed to become, that’s for the federal government to sort out now, but former employees knew – because the fifth floor “Phantom” told us over and over again – the goal was to prove “Old Wheeling wrong.”
Until that is, when the scheduled paychecks stopped hitting our accounts, the first few rounds of layoffs took place, those “best friends” walked away, and then, when the foreclosures took place and federal charges were levied. It sure seems now all the man ultimately proved was what everyone feared, and here we are today holding exactly the opposite of what we signed up for.
Sad, really, for the company’s former workforce members, yes, but for everyone else, too.
Sincerely,
We’re Right There With Ya
