Vault: Her brother's bad check could cost her jail time

Summary

The Bert Show: "Vault: Her Brother's Bad Check Could Cost Her Jail Time"

Date: May 26, 2026
Cast featured: Colleen (Host), Co-hosts, Listeners (Kelly, David, Angela), Anonymous Caller (Bookkeeper)

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Episode Overview

This gripping episode centers on a major moral and legal dilemma: how one woman's attempt to help her brother by having her small company's team build his website spirals into a potentially criminal crisis after his $3,000 check bounces. As the company plans to use this money for Christmas bonuses, the caller—also the firm’s bookkeeper—reveals she’s hidden the truth for six weeks. The Bert Show crew and listeners dive into her ethical, professional, and legal jeopardy, offering urgent advice and sharing relatable stories.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Caller’s Predicament

• [01:41–02:09] The anonymous bookkeeper details her employment at a tight-knit, six-person web development firm, emphasizing its family-like trust.
• She explains her brother commissioned a website and paid with a check—which subsequently bounced.
• Quote ([03:31], Bookkeeper): “I have been figuring out a way to try and tell people this… I feel like it’s my fault, because it’s my brother.”

2. The Escalating Consequences

• [03:53–04:27] The company owner, thinking the brother paid, decides to use this supposed windfall to fund $3,000 Christmas bonuses for each employee.
• Everyone now knows to expect their bonus and has started spending in anticipation.
• Quote ([05:02], Co-host 1): “Very Griswold. Like, you know. Christmas Vacation.”

3. The Caller’s Emotional Turmoil & Guilt

• The bookkeeper admits she’s kept the truth secret for six weeks. She agonizes over letting her boss and co-workers down and fears the fallout if the truth is revealed.
• Quote ([07:09], Bookkeeper): “It’s been about six weeks.”

4. Listeners & Hosts Weigh In: Legal & Ethical Angles

• Multiple callers and co-hosts stress the legal consequences of a bounced check over $500, noting it’s a felony in many states.
  • Quote ([09:10], Caller Kelly): “If you write a check for over $500, it’s a felony. It is not a misdemeanor to bounce a check for more than $500.”
  • Quote ([10:52], Caller David): “The employee, which is a bookkeeper, because she held the check, she can also be charged… DA could just say, look, you guys did a fraud.”

5. Possible Solutions & Moral Reckoning

• Immediate advice is unanimous: the caller must cover the bad check herself—via a personal loan, credit card, or any means available.
• Delay only deepens legal jeopardy and threatens her job and her brother’s freedom.
• Quote ([12:58], Co-host 1): “Don’t punish the company. Get that money. Put it in the bank account. Tell your brother he owes you that much, and tell him you saved his ass from jail.”

6. Relatable Caller Stories & Real-World Stakes

• Listener David describes a similar near-miss involving family, a bounced check, and a bookkeeper who lost her job despite repaying the firm.
  • Quote ([11:24], Caller David): “They wind up… getting a personal loan and they did make good on the check. But she did lose her job.”

7. Countdown Pressure: 48 Hours to Act

• With the company party Friday night, the caller is urged not to confess (to save her job) but to urgently secure funds.
• Quote ([12:27], Colleen): “Most of the calls coming in are saying you have 48 hours to go to the bank and cover this thing. Or you’re looking at, like, big time charges.”

8. The Dilemma: Career or Jail?

• The episode closes with a reminder: handling it with the bank, not in the office, could preserve her future—even if it damages the sibling relationship.
• Quote ([13:24], Co-host 2): “It’s your future. Own it.”

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Memorable Quotes & Highlights with Timestamps

• “I feel like it’s my fault, because it’s my brother.”
  Bookkeeper, [03:31]

• “There’s no money in the pot for the bonuses and you’ve been hiding that fact?”
  Colleen, [04:23]

• “If you write a check for over $500, it’s a felony. It is not a misdemeanor to bounce a check for more than $500.”
  Caller Kelly, [09:10]

• “The employee, which is a bookkeeper… can also be charged. DA could just say, look, you guys did a fraud.”
  Caller David, [10:52]

• “Don’t punish the company. Get that money. Put it in the bank account. Tell your brother he owes you that much.”
  Co-host 1, [12:58]

• “It’s your future. Own it.”
  Co-host 2, [13:24]

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:41–03:30 — Caller explains the situation
• 03:53–04:27 — Bonuses and fallout revealed
• 06:06–07:09 — The caller’s rationale for secrecy
• 08:08–09:36 — First listener calls: legal advice and warnings
• 10:11–11:50 — Listener David shares his similar experience
• 12:27–13:06 — Hosts and callers deliver urgent last advice, 48-hour ultimatum
• 13:13–13:23 — Emotional sign-off and next steps

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Episode Tone & Takeaways

The episode maintains the Bert Show’s trademark blend of urgency, realness, and humor—even amid serious stakes. The empathy is strong, but so is the tough love. With legal dangers lurking and time running out, real-world consequences hit home for anyone tempted to fudge the truth for family.

Perfect for: Anyone dealing with tough family choices, workplace trust issues, or craving a juicy ethical debate.

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End of summary.

Transcript

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[Colleen (Host)]

a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. The Bird show this is Colleen. Bit of a panic right now. Hey, Colleen.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

A bit of a panic is an understatement.

[Colleen (Host)]

Oh, no.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

What happened?

[Colleen (Host)]

You're on the voice disguiser. What happened?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Yeah, I don't even. I don't even know where to start. Okay, here's. Here's the situation. I work for company. It's like it's a web development company and it's a really small company.

[Co-host 1]

About how many people?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Pardon me?

[Co-host 1]

About how many people?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

There's only six of us.

[Colleen (Host)]

Okay.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Okay. And then there's a guy that owns a company, but we're really close, you know, and we. Everyone trusts everybody and we're, you know, you are in an environment that small Everybody's kind of like family. Anyway, I was talking to my brother, and my brother wanted to start. He wanted to get some stuff done through our company. And I told him, you know, we'll help you out. We'll build this website. You want to build this website? We'll build this website it for you. That's what we do, and you can pay us later. So he had us build this website for him, and he wrote a check. Now, mind you, I do all of the bookkeeping for the company, cut all the checks. I. You know, anytime any invoices come in, everything comes to me.

[Co-host 1]

Okay.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

There's only six of us. I'm the only one that does it. Okay. When my brother wrote the check, his check completely bounced.

[Co-host 2]

Okay.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

And I have been figuring out a way to try and tell people this, because I just. I don't even know how I feel like it's my fault, because it's my brother.

[Colleen (Host)]

Okay, stop. One second here. So how does this affect the office party?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Right. I'm. I'm getting there.

[Colleen (Host)]

It's been a journey.

[Co-host 2]

Let's go Right. Let's go right there.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Long story short, Christmas party's Friday night.

[Co-host 1]

Mm.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

And my. The owner of the company decided. I mean, none of us thought that we were gonna be getting Christmas bonuses this year with the economy the way that it is. He decided that he was going to take the money from my brother's job and use that to give everybody a Christmas bonus.

[Colleen (Host)]

Okay.

[Co-host 1]

And your brother's check bounce, so there's no money in the pot for the

[Colleen (Host)]

bonuses, and you've been hiding that fact?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Yes.

[Colleen (Host)]

Okay.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

And are they supposed to get the bonuses on the party? Pardon me? Are they supposed to get the bonuses at the party? I'm supposed to cut the check and hand them out on Friday night. These checks are for $3,000 a piece. Yeah. It's a lot of money. The problem is, is that the owner told, like, one person, and so not everybody knows. And so everybody knows. So it's not like people aren't gonna realize what they're meant. Like, everybody's expecting this check and have, like, gone out and made purchases and.

[Co-host 1]

Very Griswold. Like, you know.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Christmas vacation.

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Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

So. So your. There's no way your brother has the money.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

He absolutely doesn't have the money. I've talked to him about it, and I just. I don't. I mean, literally, I'm the only person that knows this, and I just. I've been waiting and waiting, and now, you know, the party's Friday Night. And I just. I feel awful. And I don't need. I don't know what to do.

[Colleen (Host)]

Now, you said that the boss has told one person in the office about the bonus, right?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Correct.

[Colleen (Host)]

But you're confident that everybody knows about it?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Oh, yeah, because it's already gotten back to me.

[Colleen (Host)]

So there's a good chance that somebody that in the office that has heard that they've got the three grand coming already has that money spent themselves.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Oh, yeah. People are talking about. Yeah, I went online, I purchased this. You know, I didn't think I was going to be able to get my thumbnails for Christmas. And, like, I just, like, want to hide under a rock. I don't even know what to do.

[Co-host 2]

Is it safe to assume that your company is not one that has an abundance of money?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Absolutely not.

[Co-host 2]

I'm guessing because he said, use that payment to pay the bonuses, makes me think that, like, you don't have, like,

[Co-host 1]

the constant cash flow.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, a great cash flow plan going, which means you can't take it from another account or pull it off a line of credit or something until your brother makes good on the check.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

No, it is. Money is extremely tight with the company right now. And he, the owner of the company, he's such a great guy, and he has the biggest heart. And he, you know, he pays what he can and he gives bonuses if there's extra work, but there hasn't been. And so when we got this job for my brother, like, he was like, oh, my gosh, this is perfect. And then, of course, I didn't find out afterwards, but did you tell us

[Co-host 1]

how long you've been hiding the fact that your brother can't. Or that since the check bounced, he can't pay it?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

It's been about six weeks.

[Colleen (Host)]

Six weeks. It's not even like you can start a rumor in the office that the initial rumor, the bonuses is really that it's a rumor because the boss has already told another employee that they're coming.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Right, Exactly.

[Co-host 2]

So have you talked to your brother at all and got him to pay any sort of this, or can he get a line of credit? Can you explain to him the situation you're in? Because I think. I mean, if the answer to that question was one week, then I think you go into your boss's office, you shut the door, and you say, hey, I feel terrible because this is my recommendation, my brother. This is what happened. I feel awful because then the boss can simply say, we have a bonus coming, but it's based on some collections that haven't come in yet.

[Colleen (Host)]

Right.

[Co-host 2]

But if you've been hiding it for six weeks, I don't know if that's fraud, but that's certainly deceptive. And that would. If I'm your boss, that draws your whole employment into question.

[Co-host 1]

Yes.

[Colleen (Host)]

Here's Kelly. Good morning. Hey, Kelly, you're on Q100.

[Caller Kelly]

Yeah, I was saying she just needs to put it back on her brother. I mean, you know, he's the one that didn't pay the bill. Go get a credit card and a cash advance or a title loan or something. I mean, the one that owes the money.

[Colleen (Host)]

But there is the problem that she's kept us a secret for six weeks now. I mean, if it was any other company that bounced the check, she would have gone to the boss immediately. Right.

[Caller Kelly]

Or she can go get a loan and he can pay her back then because she's the one that covered. You know, his grin.

[Colleen (Host)]

That may be the only way to actually save your job right there. Hey, Donna, Good Morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller Kelly]

Hi. Good morning.

[Colleen (Host)]

Hi. How are you?

[Caller Kelly]

I'm good. How are you?

[Colleen (Host)]

Fantastic.

[Caller Kelly]

I love you guys. I listen to you every morning. Thank you. I just wanted to just make a comment. It sounds like if I didn't catch the initial part of the conversation about how much the total check was, but I just know from past experience with an ex that if you write a check for over $500, it's a felony. It is not a misdemeanor to bounce

[Colleen (Host)]

a check for more than $500.

[Caller Kelly]

Right. Because I've seen paperwork on an ex that's come in from collection from the actual person that he wrote the check because he. It wouldn't. You know, they kept sending him the bill to make good. Make good on it, and he wouldn't. And finally, their final thing was highlighted at the bottom. You know, this is. Anything over $500 is a fennel felony and is punishable, you know, by law.

[Colleen (Host)]

Yeah. That's what most are calling now, saying that there's more of the concern about pressing charges. Hey, Angela, Good morning.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Good morning. I agree with the caller. I was just gonna say, you know, I think I would be a little less concerned about the Christmas party and more concerned about the possible jail time that my brother can face should the

[Caller Kelly]

boss decide to press charge.

[Co-host 2]

But I think that's part of her dilemma.

[Colleen (Host)]

Is there any way out of this except for her to come up with the money and pay for it? She saves her job, she saves not going to jail, and she saves the

[Co-host 2]

brother Also, she's got to loan her brother that money.

[Colleen (Host)]

Now here's David, who says he's in the same situation or was in the same situation as you. Hey, David.

[Caller David]

Hey. How we doing?

[Colleen (Host)]

Okay, how are you?

[Caller David]

But I was in the same situation. We have a small contracting firm and it's family ran, but we did some work for a friend of ours, for a family member, same scenario. It was like about a twelve thousand dollar check. We did some work. Our bookkeeper actually hid it from us. And it was just about the same thing. It was about this time frame, you know, money was tight. We decided we're going to give our bonuses. But they held this thing. It was about, you know, four weeks. And you know, the bad part about this thing is that, you know, the other employees kind of depend on this bonus because you do point out that you are going to give a bonus. But the other call that I did come in, it is true. 500 is a felony.

[Colleen (Host)]

Yeah, that's what most are calling up saying right now.

[Caller David]

And the bad part about this, the employee, which is a bookkeeper, because she held the check, she can also be charged. You know, that depends on the da. DA could just say, look, you guys did a fraud.

[Co-host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller David]

Depending on the mood of that D8, they can definitely push this and include that member into this. No, her best thing is get to that boss say, look, you know, the check wasn't covered. Get it out of the open now because the longer she waits, the worst is going to be for her.

[Co-host 1]

How did you guys resolve it in your situation?

[Caller David]

Well, we handle it in house. They wind up. What we did was we did threaten to go to the police. They did wind up getting a personal loan and they did make good on the check. But she did lose her job.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Wow.

[Colleen (Host)]

Which may inevitably end up the same way here.

[Co-host 1]

You know, even though they paid it, she still lost her job.

[Caller David]

Even though it's a small family run company, I mean, it's still money that's being dependent on to pay other bills. And if you, you can't have somebody running the books who's not going to be honest about it.

[Colleen (Host)]

I'd rather have the problem of losing my job than trying to figure out how to get out of jail.

[Co-host 2]

And I think, I think Bert had it where you, the caller has to do that on behalf of her brother because that's the only way she will save her job is get the line of credit somewhere, get a loan, mortgage on the house, whatever. It's probably bad business because then you've loaned money to Family. And what is it like?

[Co-host 1]

Oh, her family. Her family's done it. I mean, screwed her over.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Right.

[Co-host 2]

But I mean, she needs to. If she's gonna protect her job. This is what she needs to do. And then hold her brother to that and go, Look, I covered this debt for you.

[Caller David]

You owe me.

[Colleen (Host)]

You got me? Now, you said the party is Friday night.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Party is Friday night.

[Colleen (Host)]

Friday night. So we're at Wednesday now. So you've got to go to the bank. Mostly. Most of the calls coming in saying you have 48 hours to go to the bank and cover this thing.

[Co-host 1]

Right.

[Colleen (Host)]

Or you're looking at, like, big time charges.

[Co-host 1]

Okay, You've got to. I mean, you've held onto it for six weeks, so.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

No, I know. I just. Should I tell my boss what happened anyway? Just to clear my country? No, no.

[Co-host 2]

You want to save your job? Be quiet.

[Colleen (Host)]

Yes.

[Co-host 2]

Go to your bank. Go to your credit union, go to your cousin, go to whoever.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Don't punish the company.

[Co-host 2]

Get that money. Put it in the bank account. Tell your brother he owes you that much. And tell him you saved his ass from jail.

[Colleen (Host)]

And don't tell anybody in the office. Nobody. Okay.

[Co-host 1]

That time passed six weeks ago.

[Colleen (Host)]

Colleen, we gotta talk to you on Monday morning to find out how the whole weekend panned out. Okay?

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Yeah. Thank you guys so much for your help. I'm gonna go to the bank.

[Colleen (Host)]

Yeah, I think that's a good idea.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Good luck.

[Colleen (Host)]

Good luck.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

All right. Thank you.

[Co-host 2]

It's your future.

[Caller David]

Own it.

[Co-host 2]

That's exactly where she needs to go.

[Co-host 1]

She needs to make right here that.

[Caller (Bookkeeper)]

Burt, you know what?

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