autoevolution
 

Lawsuit Claims Founders of Skully Used Company Money As "Personal Piggy Bank"

A lawsuit accuses the two brothers that founded the company behind the line of Skully motorcycle helmets of wasting corporate funds on personal expenses.
Skully AR-1 motorcycle helmet 57 photos
Photo: Skully
Skully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmetSkully AR-1 motorcycle helmet
The two brothers, Mitch and Marcus Weller, were forced out of the company last July by the board of directors. Last week, the media reported that Skully would be shutting down entirely, despite the fact that it had raised almost $15 million.

The two brothers funded Skully three years ago, and managed to raise $2.5 million over an Indiegogo campaign. They were supposed to build and sell and advanced motorcycle helmet, which differentiated itself from others on the market through the fact that it had augmented-reality features.

The two brothers are being sued, and the main accusation is treating company funds as a “personal piggy bank.” The allegations come from the former bookkeeper, Isabelle Faithauer, who has listed a few examples of the claimed expenses made by the two brothers and then allegedly declared as business expenses.

First of all, the rent for a private apartment was paid by company funds. The same happened to restaurant meals and even personal groceries. This does not sound that extreme, right? However, it is still wrong, and we have yet to mention the worst parts of the lawsuit.

Well, they allegedly paid for the rental of a Lamborghini during a personal vacation, and also took expensive vacations to destinations like Hawaii and Florida.

The latter included spending $2,000 on renting a limousine, as well as a $2,000 charge in a strip club. For business reasons, you say? Depends on what kind of business one is involved.

According to Business Insider, the company’s Indiegogo page has alerted customers who preordered the helmet, priced at $1,450, that they will have to go through bankruptcy court for a chance to get their money back. This is the worst part of Skully tanking, as the initial backers of the project had to wait for years for it to be launched, paid in full, and only have the hope that they will get a refund someday.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories