Help Mario and Jeri Rebuild Their Lives

Hi everyone, this fundraiser is for my friends Mario and Jeri. Below is their story.

I recently entered into a business partnership with someone who approached me about opening a small cold sandwich shop in a quiet beach town on the East Coast, where my wife and I were living at the time. For me, it was more than just a business — it was the culmination of over 30 years of experience in the retail grocery industry and a chance to build something meaningful in our community.

I poured my heart, time, and savings into the venture, only to discover that my business partner was not only dishonest but had ulterior motives from the start. It became clear that I was being used to keep the business afloat during the slow winter months, with the plan to push me out once the lucrative tourist season arrived.

This betrayal has had devastating consequences. My wife and I exhausted our savings in the process and are now living in our vehicle. While I can't speak in detail due to pending legal matters, I can say that the level of deception, backstabbing, and even racism we experienced — especially from people we considered friends — was beyond anything I could have imagined. It's left us shaken, disillusioned, and trying to piece our lives back together one step at a time.