CEO Confesses to Lying to SEC, Reveals Hatred for Ethics
Interviewer: Good afternoon, CEO. Thank you for joining me today. In the recent disclosure to the SEC, it states that your company had no involvement in any illegal activity. Can you confirm that this is true?
CEO: Yes, that is correct.
Interviewer: Okay, and it also states that your company has had no significant financial losses during the fiscal year of 2022. Can you confirm that as well?
CEO: I cannot confirm that.
Interviewer: I’m sorry, what do you mean?
CEO: I mean that I lied about the second point. Our company did in fact have significant financial losses during the fiscal year of 2022.
Interviewer: I’m sorry, what? Why did you lie about something so important?
CEO: Because I had to. We couldn’t let our investors know the truth about our financial losses. It would have caused mass panic and potentially ruined our company.
Interviewer: But isn’t it illegal to provide false information to the SEC?
CEO: Look, it’s a risk we had to take. We’ve already taken steps to make sure our losses are recovered and we have a plan in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Interviewer: I’m sorry, but that’s not good enough. As reporters, our job is to share the truth with the public. By lying to the SEC, you’re depriving investors of the opportunity to make informed decisions about their investments.
CEO: Oh please, spare me the lecture. This is just how the business world works. You’re just too idealistic to understand.
Interviewer: That’s not fair. I understand how the business world works, but I also believe in honesty and integrity. Let me give you a personal example. When my father was a politician in India, he refused to be corrupt even when it would have benefited him. He believed in doing what was right, not just what was profitable. Isn’t that the kind of leader you should be?
CEO: (scoffs) Your father was a fool. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions to survive in this world.
Interviewer: I’m sorry to hear that you feel that way. I wish you luck moving forward, but I hope that someday you’ll see how harmful dishonesty can be.
Original Release: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/03/10/2625105/0/en/Dexia-Consolidated-results-FY-2022.html