Embattled 'CityGuru' could go to jail for contempt
SEATTLE -- Photocopies or jail. Straight answers or straight to lockup. Those are the choices facing the former founder of the CityGuru event company.
"You're not proving anything," said Drew Morrison while under oath before attorney Bruce Danielson.
Morrison lost a civil lawsuit in 2015 alleging that he used more than $500,000 of investor funds in a real estate company to enrich his lifestyle.
Thursday was the second time under oath to explain and hand over reaps of company records and reasons behind the spending. Danielson showed in court that Morrison spent money on cars, guns, large dinners and trips from personal and business accounts.
"Mr. Morrison, you're the one who has been found guilty of criminal profiteering, conversion," Danielson said.
"Because I didn't respond to some motions, not because we went to court," he replied.
After Danielson said that it would be "common sense" to keep business records, Morrison quickly spoke up.
"No, that's your path. Not everyone does. You going to arrest everyone who doesn't keep records? You going to sue everyone that doesn't keep records"? he said.
Morrison responded to many questions saying he did not recall or simply didn't know what money he spent, who worked for his companies or who gave him money.
That behavior prompted Danielson to petition the court to hold a contempt hearing against Morrison in July.
"Mr. Morrison needs to spend a little time in a county jail because he's not getting the message," Danielson said.
By the time that hearing gets underway, it will have been more than a year since Morrison failed to pay the Pink Gene Foundation any money for a fundraiser in May 2015.
Danielson noted that proceeds of sales were supposed to go to Pink Gene.
Morrison defiantly disagreed.
"Show me. Show me. It's easy for you to make a false statement and not to prove that, bruce. Show me where it says that. Because it didn't," he said.
In fact, the postings discovered by the KOMO Investigators claimed that "proceeds of all sales" would go to Pink Gene. So far no money has been given, despite multiple promises to organizers.
Morrison says he was recently let go from another startup and can't pay back debtors. He just wanted CityGuru to be a success.
"I'm not a bookkeeper. I'm not a CFO. I'm not a CEO. I really did try my damndest," he said.
