problem with potential partner

[mikewho]

i opened up a kiosk business back in february and recently i decided to get a partner whom would be able to pitch in for merchandise, so i began to talk to a guy i had met about this. Anyway, to make a long story short i decided to put a hault on the partnership and not sign any contracts, and not add him to the llc that i had formed. No money was given to me by this individual, all things were just discussed. He worked for me for a few weeks so i could teach him the ropes of the business.

This individual come to find out was telling people that I had given him the business, abandoned the kiosk, and told the security guards at the mall that i was threatening him (this was after i decided not to do the partnership, he became angry).

Now he himself was 17 years old, the partnership was going to take place between me and his grandfather, but i didnt like the idea of doing a partnership with his grandfather and have this 17 year old be noted as my partner due to many things that caught my attention.

Since this time, rumor has now gotten around the mall that i am in debt to the mall , $22,000 from one person, $2,600 from another person. I have strangled a police officer, i have threatened this 17 year olds life, that i have changed my name and address/phone number and that i am not reliable. I am subject to dissapear at anytime. This 17 year old also told me that if i was to leave, he would be able to find me wherever i was at. He also stated that if i was to disapear from him, he would dissapear from his family telling his grandparents that i have kidnapped him!!!

I came in last monday morning and my kiosk was gone completely. All merchandise was sitting in Boxes, and the mall told me that this young man came to them and told them that i have abandoned the cart to him, and given him all merchandise and i have dropped off the face of the planet. I did change my phone number over the weekend however, and was unable to let mall management know about it until the weekdays (office hours). This was cleared up and my kiosk is to reopen next week, however the management staff, whom i have had a great relationship with, has told me they are going to keep a close eye on me now and they dont know whom to trust in this situation and have doubts of me!!!!!
I filed a police report, because i saw mall employees with some of my merchandise, to which they told me that Kriss gave them the stuff for free because i was "closing down."


My name is now questionable in the mall, and my motives are questionable to the management office, and security has lies told to them about me threatening people.

Please tell me what to do because i have invested to much time and money into this business for it to go down because of the lies of another person.

thank you

 

[calalily]

You may need to consult an attorney about this matter. If Kris wasn't on the contract for the mall they shouldn't be listening to him.The property he gave away should be considered theft. What did the police say when you filed a report? Are you "friends" with the grandfather and can you talk to him? Is there another mall you can relocate to and start fresh? If not is there a way to "lock up" your merchandise when you aren't there?

 

[mikewho]

part of the problem is that i do not have funds to purchase new display cases, ones equipped with locks. I did figure out a solution though as far as the locking of the cases goes, but it is only about 75% effective, hence there is another way into the cases. The mall did try to contact me, but i did get a new cell phone, which i am at fault for not contacting the mall immediatly monday morning. I spoke to his grandfather, but his grandfather is a complete enigma to me since he basically would just change the subject every time i braught something up. "Well you made the best decision according to your experience, and i think that is good." "Well im sorry we didnt work out, but you did what you thought was necessary, even if i disagree." Which makes me believe that Kris told his grandfather some story contrary to what i had said to him. This past month has been a nightmare sales wise for me though, this kid would have police come to my cart once or twice a week to turn his enemies in, 90% of the time he would invent stories as well, "The guy in that store is selling drugs.........." This kid even came in one day impersonating an army recruiter, telling people he was in the army, and trying to find new recruits. The Sgt. at the recruiting stand next to me, told me that if i didnt get the kid away from his stand than i was going to have real problems, since i was his boss and responsible for him.

The kid basically shows real psychological problems. When he specifically told me that "If you leave, i will find you," or "If you dissapear, i will to and I will tell my grandparents you kidnapped me," I had to abandon the idea of any type of contract associating with this family.

I am re-opening the cart on Friday of next week, I cleared things up with management, but this kid cost me an entire 2 weeks of sales based on his little stunt. I know that i will get blamed for it, since i wasnt at the cart though. But EVEN IF I WAS NOT AT MY CART, i would have recieved a fine, NOT EXPULSION FROM THE MALL.

The malls reasoning is that when he told them that i abandoned the cart, changed my name, address, and phone number, they got worried since they didnt see anyone at the cart, and that alot of my merchandise was gone.

I told the police i wanted the kid banned from the mall since he was ruining my reputation and telling people blatent lies about me that i know was jepordising my business. They then found Kris, who had gotten a job on the 3rd level of the mall ironically the day i was temporarily removed, searched him, and told me the only thing they could do was have me press charges for him stealing things. They went to security to get him banned, and security said that they cannot ban any mall employees for the reasons they gave. So the police said that the rest of my complaints (his ruining me) was a civil matter and i needed to speak to a lawyer. I dont even think i can afford a lawyer.