Chris Walker

Joanna didn't know what her dad had said in the secret proceedings. Anyone who asked Jack about his grand jury testimony couldn't get much out of him, including Michael, who started to show increasing signs of paranoia.

Joanna didn't know what her dad had said in the secret proceedings. Anyone who asked Jack about his grand jury testimony couldn't get much out of him, including Michael, who started to show increasing signs of paranoia.

He asked his dad again and again what he'd said in the closed-door session, and each time, Jack calmly replied with the same line, that he merely answered some questions about record-keeping. But without a way of knowing what his father really said, Michael lost sleep over what might be coming. And then, in August 1990, it arrived. United States versus Michael Licciardi, a 10-count indictment.

He asked his dad again and again what he'd said in the closed-door session, and each time, Jack calmly replied with the same line, that he merely answered some questions about record-keeping. But without a way of knowing what his father really said, Michael lost sleep over what might be coming. And then, in August 1990, it arrived. United States versus Michael Licciardi, a 10-count indictment.

The grand jury went in hard against Michael. They'd charged him with everything from conspiracy and mail fraud to money laundering and tax evasion. And remember that lie he told in that meeting at Jack's house about visiting V&K Vineyards and meeting Robert Klein?

The grand jury went in hard against Michael. They'd charged him with everything from conspiracy and mail fraud to money laundering and tax evasion. And remember that lie he told in that meeting at Jack's house about visiting V&K Vineyards and meeting Robert Klein?

The last count particularly upset Jack since he'd heard the lie himself. He knew that Michael had become a liability to the business and that recovering from these lawsuits would be a heavy lift. Jack needed to signal to business partners that things had drastically changed within his company. And so he did something that had seemed inconceivable only months earlier.

The last count particularly upset Jack since he'd heard the lie himself. He knew that Michael had become a liability to the business and that recovering from these lawsuits would be a heavy lift. Jack needed to signal to business partners that things had drastically changed within his company. And so he did something that had seemed inconceivable only months earlier.

Jack asked his other son, Robert, if he'd take over Michael's job and become not only his new legs, but also his 50-50 partner in the business. This restructuring triggered a tectonic shift in the Luchardi's world. Because, as Robert notes, it meant that... He was cutting Michael out of the business. In fact, Jack and Robert formed an entirely new company.

Jack asked his other son, Robert, if he'd take over Michael's job and become not only his new legs, but also his 50-50 partner in the business. This restructuring triggered a tectonic shift in the Luchardi's world. Because, as Robert notes, it meant that... He was cutting Michael out of the business. In fact, Jack and Robert formed an entirely new company.

They named it Corvette Company One, to differentiate themselves from the old company, Corvette, which the government had named in its case against Michael. That way, if Michael was penalized, the family fortune and everything Jack had built for his children might survive.

They named it Corvette Company One, to differentiate themselves from the old company, Corvette, which the government had named in its case against Michael. That way, if Michael was penalized, the family fortune and everything Jack had built for his children might survive.

But it was a hard pill for the other Lichardi siblings to swallow. Robert, co-running the company, Robert the playboy, who had wrestled with addiction for far longer than he'd been clean, could he really handle the pressure of running a company in the midst of a crisis? To his sisters, like Joanna, it seemed like their youngest brother was making his own bald-faced cash grab.

But it was a hard pill for the other Lichardi siblings to swallow. Robert, co-running the company, Robert the playboy, who had wrestled with addiction for far longer than he'd been clean, could he really handle the pressure of running a company in the midst of a crisis? To his sisters, like Joanna, it seemed like their youngest brother was making his own bald-faced cash grab.

like a Porsche he had recently bought. Jack wasn't blind to the risks. He reassured his children that he had a plan. But while his daughters tried to muster some trust, Michael was beside himself. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his father replacing him with Robert. How dare he, after all the work Michael had done while his youngest brother slacked off.

like a Porsche he had recently bought. Jack wasn't blind to the risks. He reassured his children that he had a plan. But while his daughters tried to muster some trust, Michael was beside himself. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his father replacing him with Robert. How dare he, after all the work Michael had done while his youngest brother slacked off.

And when Michael considered all the sacrifices he'd made, all the years he'd given to the company, it was beyond infuriating. It was insulting. So even though Jack posted Michael's $100,000 bail and made it clear that he still wanted Michael, Norma, and their girls to celebrate Christmas with the family, Michael refused to attend.

And when Michael considered all the sacrifices he'd made, all the years he'd given to the company, it was beyond infuriating. It was insulting. So even though Jack posted Michael's $100,000 bail and made it clear that he still wanted Michael, Norma, and their girls to celebrate Christmas with the family, Michael refused to attend.

He claimed his lawyer advised against it, which didn't sit well with Jack.

He claimed his lawyer advised against it, which didn't sit well with Jack.