3 ms·

Will not help, as they (our CEO) don't seem to want to answer to anything related to Fosshost. Also I cannot be bothered anymore.

choult 4y ago
Looks like you're a UK CIC, which means you're regulated like a company, and your CEO/Director has statutory responsibilities. If he is failing to dispense his duties, he could be struck off as a company director in future. He incorporated a Limited company called Fosshosts Projects Ltd. last year, on his own. It'll be struck off in the next two months due to failure to file. He also has another company currently in protracted liquidation, and it sounds like he is failing in his responsibilities there too. The guy either sounds shady, or in a deep mess.
- toomuchtodo 4y ago
  Can anyone file a complaint for authorities to investigate? It sounds like embezzlement of organizational funds might be a possibility and it warrants whomever oversees non profits in the jurisdiction asking some questions.
  - maxbond 4y ago
    It's just as likely they're having a mental health crisis of some sort (in my experience this is generally why people on the Internet go nonresponsive), I'd really encourage people not to call the cops on people in a situation they can't understand or get eyes on. It can make a bad situation much, much worse. It's even entirely possible for both things to be true, eg, for someone to have a medical crisis in their family, which leads to a series of desperate decisions including misappropriating the funds (I recall a former HN user who did a Kickstarter that ended this way, where they had an issue paying rent and a mental health crisis while they were trying to deliver on their Kickstarter - I don't think they've been active online since, further isolating them from their community and support network). Would law enforcement help that situation? Absolutely not, even if the money was recovered it probably wouldn't be worth it.
    - toomuchtodo 4y ago
      I mean no offense to those having a mental health crisis, it happens (I have had one myself), but that also doesn't mean a non profit should have its funds walked off with (regardless of why). I've reported non profits to the IRS in the US when it appeared they might not be entirely above board, and I never felt like I was "calling the cops" in the same way I would where they're going to break down someone's front door; it's asking people who are tasked with oversight to do their job. Unequivocally, I hope this person gets whatever help they need if they need help, regardless of the outcome of this non profit.
      - maxbond 4y ago
        I understand you didn't feel that way, but I think maybe you should do a thought experiment of what "doing their job" would mean? Once those events are set in motion, you can't control how they unfold or predict the outcome; even if that person didn't do the thing you were worried about, law enforcement may well find some reason to antagonize or imprison them. I'd encourage people not to contact any law enforcement entity of any kind if they don't have a really solid understanding of the situation. Consider this story from a few weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33626670 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33626670 where someone called the cops because they were concerned that they saw a child walking alone, and the mother ended up going to jail. That wasn't the intention of the person who called the police; but once you invite law enforcement into someone else's life, you have no idea what they will do and you have no power to recall them. 'pessimizer relayed a similar experience yesterday: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33836312 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33836312 I honestly encourage everyone to consider whether letting it go is the best thing to do in any given situation. Someone might've stolen money? Contacting law enforcement probably won't get it back. An organization is dissolved? We can form it again, with a structure that ensures a higher bus number. These are things we can control, and where we can predict the outcome.
        imperfect_blue 4y ago
        The purpose of reporting crime is not to receive compensation; it's to create a norm where crime is punished and hence deterred. It's a societal benefit not a personal one. It's not good that miscarriages of justice do happen, but that doesn't change the overall point.
  - remram 4y ago
    Anyone who donated could probably file a complaint. They accepted donations from individuals in the name of the CIC: http://web.archive.org/web/20221123174539/https://fosshost.org/donate http://web.archive.org/web/20221123174539/https://fosshost.o...
JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> Also I cannot be bothered anymore What you’ve described sounds eerily like negligent mismanagement, possibly embezzlement. To avoid liability yourself, you may want to put a note into the authorities.
- samip537 4y ago
  I'm not a director though, I'm just a poor volunteer that cannot do much.
  - JumpCrisscross 4y ago
    > just a poor volunteer that cannot do much You’re aware. That bring liability. Unlikely liability. But the only person in litigation or prosecution distance, even if low level, is likely to get bonds. Particularly if someone can show knowledge and inaction, and thus plausible complicity.
    - bruce511 4y ago
      Juristriction would add context to your note. Liability differs from place to place. Personally I'm of the opinion that in most juristrictions volunteers would have no liability, but I am not a lawyer, so if in doubt run the question past a local lawyer. Plus, who exactly is going to come after you for liability? Liability for what?
shapefrog 4y ago
Section 8.1 of the CIC incorporation. Directors are responsible for the management of the Company's business, for which purpose they may exercise all the powers of the Company. The drectors all have full authorisation under the Articles of Association. The bank will give them authority on the bank accounts should it be requested. The articles also make it fairly trivial to remove the problematic director and return to business as usual. That these absolutely basic steps have NOT been taken - and directors have been resigning is a massive of a red flag to me.

choult 4y ago

Looks like you're a UK CIC, which means you're regulated like a company, and your CEO/Director has statutory responsibilities. If he is failing to dispense his duties, he could be struck off as a company director in future. He incorporated a Limited company called Fosshosts Projects Ltd. last year, on his own. It'll be struck off in the next two months due to failure to file. He also has another company currently in protracted liquidation, and it sounds like he is failing in his responsibilities there too. The guy either sounds shady, or in a deep mess.

toomuchtodo 4y ago
Can anyone file a complaint for authorities to investigate? It sounds like embezzlement of organizational funds might be a possibility and it warrants whomever oversees non profits in the jurisdiction asking some questions.
- maxbond 4y ago
  It's just as likely they're having a mental health crisis of some sort (in my experience this is generally why people on the Internet go nonresponsive), I'd really encourage people not to call the cops on people in a situation they can't understand or get eyes on. It can make a bad situation much, much worse. It's even entirely possible for both things to be true, eg, for someone to have a medical crisis in their family, which leads to a series of desperate decisions including misappropriating the funds (I recall a former HN user who did a Kickstarter that ended this way, where they had an issue paying rent and a mental health crisis while they were trying to deliver on their Kickstarter - I don't think they've been active online since, further isolating them from their community and support network). Would law enforcement help that situation? Absolutely not, even if the money was recovered it probably wouldn't be worth it.
  - toomuchtodo 4y ago
    I mean no offense to those having a mental health crisis, it happens (I have had one myself), but that also doesn't mean a non profit should have its funds walked off with (regardless of why). I've reported non profits to the IRS in the US when it appeared they might not be entirely above board, and I never felt like I was "calling the cops" in the same way I would where they're going to break down someone's front door; it's asking people who are tasked with oversight to do their job. Unequivocally, I hope this person gets whatever help they need if they need help, regardless of the outcome of this non profit.
    - maxbond 4y ago
      I understand you didn't feel that way, but I think maybe you should do a thought experiment of what "doing their job" would mean? Once those events are set in motion, you can't control how they unfold or predict the outcome; even if that person didn't do the thing you were worried about, law enforcement may well find some reason to antagonize or imprison them. I'd encourage people not to contact any law enforcement entity of any kind if they don't have a really solid understanding of the situation. Consider this story from a few weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33626670 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33626670 where someone called the cops because they were concerned that they saw a child walking alone, and the mother ended up going to jail. That wasn't the intention of the person who called the police; but once you invite law enforcement into someone else's life, you have no idea what they will do and you have no power to recall them. 'pessimizer relayed a similar experience yesterday: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33836312 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33836312 I honestly encourage everyone to consider whether letting it go is the best thing to do in any given situation. Someone might've stolen money? Contacting law enforcement probably won't get it back. An organization is dissolved? We can form it again, with a structure that ensures a higher bus number. These are things we can control, and where we can predict the outcome.
      - imperfect_blue 4y ago
        The purpose of reporting crime is not to receive compensation; it's to create a norm where crime is punished and hence deterred. It's a societal benefit not a personal one. It's not good that miscarriages of justice do happen, but that doesn't change the overall point.
- remram 4y ago
  Anyone who donated could probably file a complaint. They accepted donations from individuals in the name of the CIC: http://web.archive.org/web/20221123174539/https://fosshost.org/donate http://web.archive.org/web/20221123174539/https://fosshost.o...

JumpCrisscross 4y ago

> Also I cannot be bothered anymore What you’ve described sounds eerily like negligent mismanagement, possibly embezzlement. To avoid liability yourself, you may want to put a note into the authorities.

samip537 4y ago
I'm not a director though, I'm just a poor volunteer that cannot do much.
- JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  > just a poor volunteer that cannot do much You’re aware. That bring liability. Unlikely liability. But the only person in litigation or prosecution distance, even if low level, is likely to get bonds. Particularly if someone can show knowledge and inaction, and thus plausible complicity.
  - bruce511 4y ago
    Juristriction would add context to your note. Liability differs from place to place. Personally I'm of the opinion that in most juristrictions volunteers would have no liability, but I am not a lawyer, so if in doubt run the question past a local lawyer. Plus, who exactly is going to come after you for liability? Liability for what?

shapefrog 4y ago

Section 8.1 of the CIC incorporation. Directors are responsible for the management of the Company's business, for which purpose they may exercise all the powers of the Company. The drectors all have full authorisation under the Articles of Association. The bank will give them authority on the bank accounts should it be requested. The articles also make it fairly trivial to remove the problematic director and return to business as usual. That these absolutely basic steps have NOT been taken - and directors have been resigning is a massive of a red flag to me.