Cirque Du Salahi: Be Careful Who You Trust by Diane Dimond Read Free Book Online Page B

often, as if his big picture risks should naturally be funded by others. More seasoned entrepreneurs would realize if one thinks too large and makes plans without contingencies, they will risk both their livelihood and their reputation. And, if it happens too often then no one will want to do business with you. It is a lesson Tareq Salahi finds hard to grasp.
    Multiple sources interviewed for this book describe a dark side to Tareq’s business dealings. They call him a con artist, a flimflam man and worse. These sources did not want to be identified for fear of litigation or because they had already taken a legal path against the Salahis. Their stories all come down to one point: they felt they were owed money by the Salahis and had not been paid. Some amounts were small, some were large and some of the cases have already been decided by the court against the Salahis. Some former employees of Tareq Salahi’s describe him as a “cheater” but one who repeatedly gets away with bad business practices because he’s just so damn charming.
    Some of the legal cases are clear cut; the Salahis were guilty of nonpayment. But some also seem frivolous, as with the couple who sued over some of the costs of their $54,000 Oasis Vineyard wedding nearly two years after the event took place. The Salahis believe the suit was filed as the couple was divorcing. Another wedding related lawsuit was initiated by a bride who cancelled her American Express payment immediately after her $75,000 Oasis wedding. This so-called “charge back” was handled by former Oasis employee, Jennifer Woods. “This bride was wretched from the very beginning. She’d order all this very expensive stuff, and then fight everything. Her biggest problem was when she found out we put a mark up on items. We patiently explained that the same bottle of wine you’d buy at Costco … if it’s served in a fine restaurant, it’s going to have a mark up. She just didn’t get it,” Woods said in an exasperated tone.
    Michaele and Jennifer worked diligently to gather all the expenditure evidence to present to American Express, a company known to fight hard for their cardholder’s interests. Not once, but twice, American Express agreed with Oasis and put the charge through. The bride filed a formal lawsuit and the Salahis’ attorney, unfortunately, failed to respond in time. As of the fall of 2010, the judgment against Oasis was still pending.
    Many of the couple’s financial woes can be traced to two things which overlapped in 2006. First, the business situation at the winery began to deteriorate as Corinne spent less and less time at the Alexandria school and much more time at the Hume home and in the vineyard’s offices kicking up trouble. The second factor was Tareq’s establishment of the America’s Polo Cup in 2006. It was to be an annual international event with the first game played between the United States and England at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia in 2007. A mom-and-pop barbeque caterer eventually complained that the Salahis never paid for their services. Another year a different caterer had the same complaint. There were other vendors who groused about nonpayment as well.
    Tareq and Michaele explain when they are asked about this, “You know all these sponsors and people pledge money and when the checks don’t arrive, what are we supposed to do?”
    Documents back up their assertion that checks written to them did bounce, contracts were broken, and payments to them were not made. That does not, of course, absolve them of their financial obligations. The operation of the America’s Polo Cup event, and the resulting financial strains that mounted with each passing year, became an unmanageable and huge burden.
    The tension and distrust between the older and younger Salahis became even more intense when it became clear that there was something terribly—mentally—wrong with Dirgham. Several former Oasis employees reveal it wasn’t only Corinne who