Opinion ID: 4537103
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Mackey Sells the Stock

Text: Years later in 2009, Mackey wrote to Computershare—the contractor WellPoint, Inc., employed to administer its securities transactions—directing it to sell the stock. He drafted the letter on “Dodson, Pence, Viar, Woodrum & Mackey” letterhead he created that included his home address, phone number, and personal email address. He directed Computershare to “remit the merger consideration and net sales proceeds payable to Dodson Pence Viar Woodrum Mackey, G. Nelson Mackey, Jr.,” to his home address. Computershare complied and sent Mackey two checks—one for $20,513.49 for the merger consideration and another for $77,995.90 from the stock sale. Mackey deposited the checks into a business account he and his wife controlled. Mackey did not inform any of the estates of the sale even though he “understood [the stock] was a partnership asset” that he “assume[d]” his “deceased law partners would have an ownership interest in.” While reviewing old files in 2015, Quinn came across the July 2002 letter from National City Bank to Viar explaining the Trigon stock had been worth approximately $64,000 at the time. After reviewing the letter, Quinn notified Mrs. Viar and attempted to contact Mackey to no avail. Quinn eventually contacted Computershare, which said that it could not release information unless he proved he represented someone entitled to the stock. Nevertheless, Computershare advised him that there had been “some activity in the account” and suggested Quinn contact Mackey—something Quinn found “very suspicious.” After Quinn provided documentation, Computershare confirmed that Mackey had liquidated the stock in 2009. Quinn 4 reported his findings to Mrs. Viar and contacted the other estates. The Pence and Dodson estates thus learned of the stock’s existence and Mackey’s actions for the first time in November 2015.