Chapter 13 - SAMUEL CRANE’S REAL SCHEMECrane’s scheme was not to steal everything outright.
Too obvious.
He wanted administrative control.
The Ashford-Sterling merger would create fees.
Voting power.
Negotiation authority.
He could then engineer sales to entities connected to clients of his private investment practice.
Not immediate embezzlement.
Self-dealing disguised as professional restructuring.
Estimated future benefit to him and connected partners:
Tens of millions.
Lily ruined the structure because recognition of Nathan’s descendant redirected controlling interests into a trust Crane did not manage.
So he needed her delayed.
Discredited.
Or legally separated from Nathan.
The kidnapping allegation served that purpose.
Not because it would succeed.
Because uncertainty can be monetized.
He had done that for decades.
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Manufacture conflict.
Then get paid to manage it.
