The Reluctant Whistleblower

She was angry. But she directed her anger inward. She wondered how she could have ever shared a bed with someone so selfish, arrogant and uncaring. "Look I'm doing my best for you Tiffany but without the prenup in play you’re not leaving me much to work with." Adrian sensed her growing anger and tried to channel it into hatred for Jeremy. He made another pitch to go after the prenup. But Tiffany just stared blankly and said she'd think about it. She left Adrian's office and melted anonymously into the busy afternoon traffic. She was stressed. So many thoughts about the past and the future running through her mind. They were so overwhelming that she forgot about the now. As Tiffany approached Drexel Street she noticed, too late, that the light had changed. She slammed on her brakes and came to a stop with the front end sticking out in the busy intersection. Horns blared their disapproval. Several cars had to move over to cross Drexel. With a car behind her she couldn't back up. Twenty seconds later she pulled into a bank parking lot. Unsure if she could drive right now, she turned off the engine and began to question herself. She had walked away from a successful career and now what did she have to show for it? She squeezed the wheel tightly and cried, 'I've put everything into making the marriage work. And what have I gotten in return?' The unflattering answer was a husband who couldn't be bothered with intimacy but found the time to sneak away to the Middle East with another woman. While she was busy enjoying the good life she hadn't noticed him grow into an uncaring and self-involved person who couldn't be bothered with children. She was at a crossroads in her life. All her suppressed hopes and aspirations came pouring out. Right there in the bank parking lot she replayed the last thirteen years in her mind. Early on they had talked about having children. But they had trouble conceiving. She assumed it was the age difference. She pressed Jeremy on it several times. But he didn't want to get checked out. He'd already been married once and had a twenty two year old son who lived in Florida. Although initially supportive, the matter seemed to interest Jeremy less and less over time. After considerable soul searching Tiffany decided that she wouldn't define herself by a need to bear children. So she let it go. But all those repressed feelings were now coming out as she critically questioned the decisions she'd made in her life. Was it really her own idea not to have children? Or had she unquestioningly bought into Jeremy's plan. By not addressing these issues earlier in the marriage Tiffany judged herself harshly. She had let herself become so immersed in the enjoyment of an abundant and prosperous lifestyle that she had essentially forgotten about these life plans. Or allowed them to be put on hold indefinitely. She had put a lot of energy into the marriage and seemingly would be leaving with nothing. And it wasn't just the meager settlement the prenup would provide. The money seemed inconsequential compared to career aspirations unrealized or lost family plans. Just then she was startled by a noise, a knock on the window. It was a white man in his 60s. He was wearing a business suit. She lowered her window. "Are you alright?" The man had noticed her crying. "Yes.... I'm fine." "Is there anything I can do to help, can I call someone for you." "No that's okay, I'm just a little upset, I'll be alright in a minute, but thank you for checking on me." He smiled and walked away. Tiffany pulled a tissue out of her purse. She turned the visor towards her face and fixed her makeup. She was emotionally churning. But Tiffany had inherited a tough minded stubbornness from her Father that would help her through this. Her dad was a diligent and determined policeman, an FBI Agent. She grew up not knowing much about his job. He didn't really talk about it. But she'd come to learn about one case that consumed him. It happened at the beginning of his career. Later in life she would learn the whole story. The origins of the case began in the early 1950s when the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, in a noble but misguided effort to lift its membership into the middle class made a dangerous alliance with organized crime.

Joseph Faulkner had been both blessed and cursed on the same day. On the day that Tiffany came into the world, Wednesday July 30th, 1975, union leader James R. Hoffa went missing not five miles from their suburban Detroit home. On that summer afternoon, as he proudly passed out cigars in the hospital waiting room, events in the criminal underworld were already conspiring against him. It would become a case that would haunt her Father. The FBI was emerging from the shadow of J. Edgar Hoover's leadership. The abuses of his office were just coming to light. The new Director wanted to bring in young Agents like her Father, fresh faces to change the bureau's culture. Special Agent Faulkner, with barely three years on the job, was named the lead Agent on the case. When Tiffany turned ten the case still occupied much of his time. Sifting through Detroit's underworld, running down spurious leads, interrogating violent men, executing search warrants and ultimately coming up empty would cast a pall over his career. And his superiors, ever anxious for results, were always sending someone from Washington to look over his shoulder. But those worries were kept hidden from Tiffany. Despite the considerable pressures he devoted as much time as he could to his Daughter. He doted on her, took her camping and fishing at nearby lakes, took her to amusement parks in the summer and attended her games whenever he could. They were a loving family. In high school she would learn more about the famous case and the burdens he held inside. The union leader's disappearance would occupy the bureau and its resources for years to come. But at some point her Father made peace with it and grudgingly accepted that Jimmy Hoffa's true fate would forever remain an unknowable thing. Joseph Faulkner had a confident attitude and an unshakable commitment to duty that carried him through the lean years. With time and determination he was able to overcome that and end his career on a high note. Like her Father, Tiffany had that confidence. It allowed her to feel comfortable with risks and new challenges. This helped her flourish in the world of high finance. After fifteen minutes of deep contemplation she gathered up all her despair and forged it into resolve. Right there in the bank parking lot she came up with the rough draft of a two part plan. First she would tell Adrian that she wanted to be compensated for her lost salary. When she resigned and got married she was making $347,205 a year + bonuses. And the bonuses often exceeded that. But they couldn't be counted on. She'd press for her base salary x 13. The second part of the plan she would share with no one. If Jeremy was involved in some sort of illegal activity she'd make it known to the government. She had an idea that he had cut corners here and there, especially in the company’s overseas ventures. She considered his compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Passed by Congress in 1977, the law was designed to prevent American companies from using bribery or other financial irregularities to win contracts from foreign governments. She knew something of Jeremy's business dealings. She had some idea from things she'd seen and heard that not all of it was above board. But she wondered how she could get proof of this. Jeremy was always careful. She could not offer up late night meetings attended by individuals who'd been banned by the SEC or half heard telephone conversations as proof to the government. She would need a smoking gun, a big one.