Incident on 17th Street

"I wouldn't have worked there unless I believed in Walt Imhoff's integrity," says Brauer. "I really respected him. It makes me feel stupid now.

"Walt Imhoff has more money than God," Brauer adds. "But money makes people do strange things."

Brauer had hoped to use his company stock to fund his retirement, but those plans are off now. He says he still gets calls from former clients at Hanifen Imhoff asking him for investment advice. But after decades of working in investment banking, Brauer says he has no desire to go back into the field. He still hasn't decided what he'll do next.

"I was hoping to retire at Hanifen," he says.