Mike, with all due respect, I think you are floating a goofy hypothesis. Leckrone has repeatedly broken his promises and is in real time refusing to honor contracts he himself wrote. Why would Chuck or Chet get excited about the possibility Leckrone might land more licenses? If a man is not keeping his word now in real time, why would any reasonable person expect anything different of him in the future? Optimism? Greed? Distraction?

Con artists generally operate by playing on the ... well, Optimism and Greed of their victims, and by distracting them with misdirection. "Yes, I have stuck a knife in your back every day for years, and I have one in my hand behind your back today, but look at all the riches ahead if you just take my word one more time and bet on the come."

Mel Brooks made a motion picture some time back, starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, which might be instructive. It certainly illustrates one reason why an organization might be motivated to appear unsuccessful at earning net profits. The movie is called "The Producers" and I enjoy it almost as much as I do "The Grifters", another fine and instructive film.

If any of my friends settles for anything less than an enforceable Judgment against Leckrone I will be concerned that said friend has taken leave of his senses.