Fortinet CEO Sued, Alleges Charity Abuse
Fortinet has become one of the largest cybersecurity firms and even a video surveillance provider, with 13,000+ employees, $5+ billion in annual revenue, and a market cap of over $45 billion. However, the company's founder and CEO, Ken Xie, is under fire by a recent news investigation and a lawsuit from a former girlfriend.
Executive *******
*** ****** **** **** ** * ****** girlfriend *** ******* ** ************ ********* her ** **** *** **** ** his ********** ********** ** * ***** discount. *** *********** ******** *** *** wouldn't **** ** "***** ***** * penny" ** ******* ******* ***** ***** the ****, *** *** ********** **** charged *** $*,*** ** ******* ****, she *******.
*** *******, ********* ******* ** **********'* Santa ***** ****** ******** *****, *** highlighted ** ** ******* ** * recent********** ********** *** *** ******* ****** ***-****** 501(c)(3) ********** *********** *** ***** ******* instead ** *** *** ********* ** the ******.
** ****, *** *****'* ****** ***** serve ** ******** **** *** *** the ********** ********** ******** ******* ******* *****, *********** ******* **** ** *** hook *** *********. *** ***** ******** private *********** **** ******** ** ****-******* with ***** ***** ************, **** ** by ********** ******** ********* ** ************ or ***** ****** ******* ** ******* property ** ****.
*** *** *** ********** **** *** disputed *** ***** ** *** **** and *** *********** ** ** ***** grounds. ***, ********, *** ***'* ********** did *** ******* ** ****'* ******** for *******, *** ***'* ****** **** ProPublica **** ** "***** **** ****" at *** **********'* **** ** **** and ****, *** *** ********** **** excise ***** ** ********** **** *** stay.
*** **** ***** *** ********** ******** emailed *** ********** ****** ***** *** home ********, *** ********** ******** **** it ******* ** * "****-******* *****" via * ********** ** *** ********** attorney *******'* ******.
About ***/********
***, *** ******* ** ******* ********** Solutions, *********, *** ********, **** ** the ** **** ***** ** ****** Stanford ********** ** *** *****,********* ** ******.** ** *** ***** $*.* ******* and ***** **. *** ** *** publication's**** ** *** *****'* ********** ******.
********** ************ *** ** * "******************* & ********** ************ ** * companies."
** ******* *********, **********-***** ********, * company **** ********* ******* ** ********* and *************, ** ****. *** *******, which ** ******** ****** ** *** Nasdaq, ****** ******* ** $*.* ******* in ****, *** ** *** ******* *** ** ***** $**.* *******.
*** ****** ***** **** ** **% was *** ***** ******* ******** ***** ********.
*** *******'* ********* ** ***** **,***, up **% **** * **** ***, according ** ********:
******** ******** ***** **** ***** ************, an ********** **** ******** ** ****.
Ex-Girlfriend's *********
* *****, *** ****** *** **** as "**** ***" *** ********* ******* as * ****** ******* *****, ******* that *** ***** ****** *** ** late **** ***** *** *** ******* discussing *** ******** ** ****** * fashion-related ********. *** **** *** ** was ********** ** *** ******** ******* his ********,***** ***, *** * ******* **********.
*** ***** ******* *** *** ***** through * ******* ** *** ****, and *** *** ********** ***** ****** to **** *** *********, ********** ***** she ***** **** *** **-******* *** move **** *** **-****-*** ***, *****, to * ********* ****** ********.
*** ******* ** *** *** ***** and **** ** ** ***, *** she **** ***** **** *** ************ he ***** ******** ******* *** ********** because ** *** ******** *******, ********* to *** *********.
*** *********** ********* ***** **** *** that *** ********** ***** **** ** purchase *** ***** *** **** *** organization ***** **** ** ****** *** $6,000 ******* ****. *** ***** ******* that *** ** ***** ******** ** cover *** **** ******** *******. **** he ****** ** *** *** $*,*** per ***** ***** * ******** ********, she *******.
*** "**** **** *** ***** *** months, ***** ** ****, ***** ** the **** ******, *** **** ** cash ** *** **** **** ** was ** *** ****," *** ***** alleged. *********, ** *** *** **** renovated *** ***** ** ** **** her *** *********** *******, *** *******.
**** ********** * ******, *** ***** learned *** ******** *** *********** ** January **** ******* ************* ** *** 2019 ***, ***** *** ******* ******** to ***. ** *** *** **** her *** ********, *** *** ********** continued ** ****** *** ****, *** alleged.
*** ***** **** *** ******* ***** off *** ************ **** *** ** 2021 ***** ******** ** *** ***** living **** *** ****, **** ** allegedly **** *** ** *** *********.
*** ***** ** ******* $*.* ******* in *******, ********* $* ******* ************ the ******* ****** ***** ** *** house *** ***** $***,*** *** *** rent *** ****. *** **** ***** that *** **** ** *********.
Possible ******* *****
************* **** *** ********** ********(*)(*) ** *** ** ******** ******* Code,**** ** ****** ********* *** ******* charitable ***********, **** ** "******** *********** for ****** ********," **** ** ********* relief ** *** ****, **********, ** underprivileged ** *** *** *********** ** science *** *********.
*********** *** ***** ***(*)(*)* "**** *** be ********* ** ******** *** *** benefit ** ******* *********" **** ** the ******* ** *** *******'* ******, according ** *** ***.
******* ***** *****, ******* *********** **** found ** ********** ** ****** ********** by ***** ***-****** *********** *** ***** benefit. *** ******* ***** ******** ********* of ******* *********** ****** ***** *********** purchase ******** ***** ** *** *********** ostensibly ** ***** **** ** ** seen ** *** ****** — *** then ******** ******* ****** ****** ** the ******** *** ***********.
*** ******** $** ******* ** *** deductions *** ************* ** *** ********** before ***** ** ** ******** *** former **********'* **** ** ****, ********* to **********. *** *** **********'* **** officers *** *** *** *** *** brother, ********* ** *** ************'* ******* ******.
****** **** ******** ***'* ****** ********** included ** *** ******* ******* **** Xie *** ***** ** *** ******** IRS ***** ******* *** **** ******** and *** ********** ** ***** *** tracks ** ********* *** **** ** stages. *** *** *** ***** *** numerous ********* **** *** ****, ** reflected ** *** **** ********, ***** also ********* *** *****'* ***, *****.
*** *** *** *** ***** ****** against *** ** *** **********, *** the ********** ****** *** ***** ******* **** *** ********** ******** ************** **** ** "********** * ****-******* event ********* * ********** ********" ** 2017. *** ****** *** ***** *** days ***** * ********** ******** ********* the ********** ***** *** **** ******** in ***** ****.
Response **** *** *** *** **********
************ ******* * ********** *** *** creator **** ******* *** ****, ********, or ******* ** ******** *** **********"****-*******"** *** ***, *********** ********* ** penalties. ********* ** *** ******'* *******:
*** ******** ** *********** ***-****** ****** and *** *********** *foundation *******'* ********* *** ********* *** ********, ******* ** ******** ********* ** ****-******* ************, *******, *** *********** **** ** ******* ** **** *** *** ** ****-*******. An individual and one or more members of the individual's family will be treated as one person regardless of whether a member of the family is a ************ ******.The ********* ******* ** * ************ ****** *** *** ** **** ******* ** *** **********'* ****** *** ***** ************* ** ** *** ** ****-******* ** ***** *** *******.
* ****** *** *** **** ********** that *** *********** “***** **** **** at *** ********* ******** ** **** and ****,” *** ******** **** *** sublease *** ***** ** ****** *** Xie ***** **** *** **-********** *** rent. * ****** *** *** **********, Elizabeth ******, **** ****:
*** *** ********** *** **. *** are ********* ** *** ******** **** have ******** ** *****. **** *** not ********** ******* ** *** ****** at **** **** *** ** *** ongoing **********.
Alter *** *******
********* ************* *** ********** *****, *** ********** and *** **** *** *** *** dispute *** ***** ****** ** *** woman ** *** *********. *******, *** organizations ****** ***** ********* ******** *** could *** ******* *** ******.
***** ***** ******, *** ************* ******* that *** *** "*** ****** *** facts ** ******* * ***** **** the ********** *** ***** **** ** one *******."
*** ************* **** ******* **** *** suit, ***** ** ****, ****** ** time-barred ******* ** *** ******* ** a *-**** ******* ** ***********. *** filed ********* ***************** ******* ******. *** ***** *** amended *** **** ***** ******* ***** on ****** ****** ** "******* ** demurrer," *** * ******* *** **** on * ***** ******* ** **** 2023. *** ***** *** *** *** ruled ** **** *******.
Outlook *** *** ****
** *** ***** ****** *** **** to **** ******* *** *** ******* do *** ***** * **********, *** could ** ******* ** ******* ****** scrutiny **** *** ****-******* **** *** foundation. ****, ** ****, ***** ******** the ********** **** *** *** *** other ******** *** **** ********* *** possibly ********* *** **********'* ***(*)(*) ********* status.
******:
* ***** *** ********* ***'* ****** demurrer ******, ***** ***** *** **** will **** ******* *** *** **** be ******** ** **** ** ******.
***** ***** ****** ****** *** ******, *** **-**********'* ****** **** *** foundation ***** *** ***'* ********* **** remain **** ** *** ****.
********* **** ******* ********** ***** *** each ******* ******* **. *** ***alleges ***** ** ********* *** ******** ***** *** ********** *** **. *** **** **** ************ ******* **** ***** *******. (TAC, 7- 12.) Whether the suspended status of the Foundation raises a defense to these allegations is a question of fact in appropriate for demurrer. Accordingly, Entity Defendants demurrer is OVERRULED. [Emphasis Added.]
******: * ***** *** ******* *** most ************ *** ******** *** *** **** the **** *****. *** ***** *** granted ** **** ** ***** *** case ***** *** ******* **** ******* for *** ***** ***** ******* ***. Other ****** **** *********.***** ****.