Business Case Studies & Business Publications

What Hank Did Next

Fairchild, Gregory...

Case

What Hank Did Next

Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya

E-0434 | Published May 13, 2020 | 7 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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Hank Carlson, once a successful businessman and a well-respected member of his community, spent nearly two years in prison for check fraud. When he was caught, the community turned on him instantly, and his family suffered financially and socially as a result of his deeds. Carlson did his time grudgingly, believing himself to have been the scapegoat of a Justice Department that was overcompensating for the Enron debacle by punishing any businessperson who set a toe even slightly outside the law...even if, as Carlson imagines is true of him, they hadn't really hurt anybody. Now, Carlson is out of prison and working to repair the broken trust and relationships within his family. He has an okay job and new connections with people who don't know about his past. But when an investment banker offers Carlson a finance job, Carlson fears that accepting it would reveal what he'd done all over again, exposing himself and his family to more damage. And then a local teacher at the center of a scandal reaches out to Carlson for help and advice. What should Carlson do?

This case is best suited for use in non-MBA courses exploring topics such as life after incarceration, ethical decision-making, and owning one's actions and story.