Chapter 276: Consultation
"Now that the shell companies have something to show on paper, the next most important thing is an accountant," said Lawyer Goodman.
"I already have one," Frank replied. Anfisa was someone he had specifically trained for this role.
"No, no, one accountant isn't going to cut it. If what you're telling me is true—if you're moving that much money every month and running it through two shell companies—you're going to need more than just one accountant."
"You should set up a separate company, one solely dedicated to accounting. Maybe even an investment firm to go along with it, preferably offshore. In fact, create several. Shell companies are cheap to register—just set up as many as you need."
"Then, use the investment company to cross-hold shares in your shell companies. Run all financial transactions and accounting through your accounting firm. Whether you're investing the money or just shuffling it around, make sure the flow is complex and confusing. So convoluted that even without any physical cover, the paperwork alone is enough to throw off any suspicion."
"Of course," Goodman added after sipping his water, "no matter how intricate the setup, there's always a risk. If you really piss off the IRS, they'll dig until they find something. The best cover is still to have some real business operations to back it all up."
In an effort to win Frank's trust and favor, Goodman wasn't holding anything back. He laid everything out clearly, without reserve.
Frank listened intently, even pulling out a notebook to jot things down. These were things he had no previous knowledge of—not in this life or the last. Neither the current Frank nor his past self had any real exposure to these kinds of complex financial schemes.
"It may sound chaotic," Goodman continued, "but it's actually pretty simple: move money from Company A to B, then to C, back to A, and so on to D, etc. It's just using a network of companies to move money in circles."
"And at the center of all this is Company A—the accounting firm. That's the heart of the entire operation."
"So, I'll need to build an accounting team," Frank muttered, frowning.
But forming a trustworthy and capable accounting team wasn't an easy task. Throwing money at the problem wouldn't necessarily solve it either.
More importantly, the entire operation—every dollar—would pass through the hands of accountants. Money that couldn't see the light of day. Which meant they had to be absolutely trustworthy.
And trust, in this world, was incredibly rare. It took Frank a long time to fully trust Pinkman. Building a team where everyone could be trusted? That was harder than getting Walter and Pinkman to go into business together. It was like expecting Carl's grades to catch up with Lip's—just not something you could buy with cash.
"Don't overthink it," Goodman said, sensing Frank's concern. "All you really need is one reliable accountant. You don't seem too familiar with the accounting world."
"An accounting firm just needs one good accountant to take the lead. The rest are support staff. You give the lead the big jobs, and divide the rest among the team. Each person only sees their piece—they won't even know what they're really involved in."
"So the lead accountant is the key. You need someone who's not just trustworthy but competent. Remember, it's easy for accountants to skim off the top. Just a small tweak in the books, and they could walk away with a fortune."
"Not only do they need your full trust, but they also have to be capable—no mistakes, and able to manage the entire team," Goodman warned.
Frank nodded slowly, visibly more at ease.
Finding one capable and trustworthy accountant was hard—but not impossible. Much easier than trying to assemble a full team you could rely on completely.
Anfisa had the potential. Her skills were solid, but she still needed experience in managing others.
"You could start with someone fresh—someone just out of school. I know a guy whose cousin's friend has connections in New York. He could get your person an internship at Owsley & Associates."
"You probably haven't heard of them, but they're a big deal in the accounting world. One of the top firms in New York. Sharp, ruthless—and even well-known underground. Their boss, Leland Owsley, has a reputation on the streets too. They call him 'The Owl.'"
Frank nodded—this was a good lead. It could solve a major problem.
The accounting world was deep and murky. Even someone with a degree could be totally lost when it came to money laundering and corporate smoke screens. If Anfisa could go learn from the pros, soak up their methods, it'd be a huge win.
He could send her to New York for training, then bring her back to run the show.
But suddenly, a thought crossed Frank's mind.
Can Anfisa really be trusted?
Sure, he'd saved her—pulled her out of hell, given her a new identity, a new life under the American sun.
From the outside, it looked like she owed him everything. She should be loyal, right? Do whatever he asked?
Maybe the old Frank—the one from his past life—would've thought that way.
But reality isn't a novel. People are complicated.
Frank, having absorbed the original Frank's memories, had seen too many stories of betrayal after kindness. In a place like the South Side, there was a surplus of scumbags and sellouts.
Trust has a price tag. What we call trust is really just waiting for the right offer to flip the script.
Like that old joke:
"Trying to buy my brother's head? No way, we're blood… now add a few more zeros."
Anfisa was trustworthy for now. But in the long run?
Frank had never fully trusted her anyway.
Why else had he only given her half the bar? Why else had he asked Karen to keep an eye on her—and even brought Kevin and Veronica in as extra oversight?
Anfisa's past made full trust impossible. At best, it was conditional.
Just think about where she came from.
She was trafficked from Russia, forced into a brothel under Sasha for over a decade. So is she just a whore? Or some Saint Mary who repays kindness tenfold?
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