A Plaintiff once described his lawsuit against Drew Morrison as an onion. “It is like peeling layers of an onion,” he said, describing the discovery process. “Beneath each layer, it just gets stinkier”.

While the suit ended in a $1.3 million judgment against Drew Morrison on charges of fraud, conversion and misrepresentation, the discovery process never stopped for numerous other investors, creditors and CityGuru shareholders. Many whom are still left with questions of their own: where is their money? How did this happen?

Oddly, as questions still remain from past business ventures involving Morrison’s use of investor funds for personal luxury, Drew Morrison seems intent on creating yet more questions as his numerous testimonies only obscure the facts with quips, nonsensical replies and what is becoming his signature reply: “I can’t recall”. Those who have worked closely with him wonder if his seemingly moronic answers are nothing more than an intended smoke screen.

In a series of news reports Seattle-based KOMO-News continues peeling layers of the onion with each layer providing evidence that speaks for itself. The KOMO series not only answers Drew Morrison’s investors’ question of how did this happen, but one begins to see a different side of the Drew Morrison that charmed and promised so many people out of their savings.

Most of Drew Morrison’s investors had no idea their investments, and the founder of their company, were already in trouble by the time he caught KOMO-News’ attention in 2014. In the first of what would become a series of investigative reports, KOMO-News covered the ill-fated Ferraris and Fashion Show hosted by Drew Morrison and his company CityGuru. Morrison had unexpectedly canceled a Seattle event leaving several local vendors and suppliers in a lurch with hefty expenses. While he promised to “make it right”, those vendors have yet to see payment. Many investors were not aware of Drew Morrison’s history of non-payment resulting in previous judgments against him for default. What the news report revealed for the first time was what can be considered the beginning of Drew Morrison’s legal woes that would escalate into what they are today.

Within months, KOMO-News was also the first to report on Drew Morrison’s involvement with  local charities complaining of “being scammed” by him in the guise of his company, CityGuru.  This continues to haunt Morrison who more recently denied he ever owed the charities—or anyone—money only to be challenged with his own promotional literature announcing proceeds for his company events would go to specifically-named charities. He responded that he “did not recall’ any such agreement.

“I suppose he doesn’t recall the promissory notes he signed and notarized, either”, commented one of his distractors, speaking of Morrison’s earlier comments that he owes no one any money.

Drew Morrison’s continued dodging of investors’ demand to know what happened to their money resulted in deeper investigations and with them; more questions—pointed questions.  Drew Morrison evasive nature towards these questions only worked against him when KOMO-News reported on two counts of Contempt of Court against Morrison for withholding court-ordered records and documentation. Again, KOMO-News was the first to reveal that Drew Morrison had become the  subject of investigations by a state agency.

As we reported in our own article, Score: Drew Morrison-1; Investors-0,  Drew Morrison soon afterward abruptly abandoned his company, CityGuru, going incognito and quietly fading from his usual social scene. As we explained in the article, we believed he was evading not only the growing number of questions—but was possibly evading being served court summons from angry investors. Even the Washington State Department of Revenue did not know how to contact him.

It would be several months and many anonymous tips before Drew Morrison was discovered still in Seattle and operating under the assumed names of Andrew Bora and Andrew Jang a new business venture.  Concerned that he might be working as a silent partner to the venture with the intent to evade detection, judgment creditors were quick to have him served his court summons to a creditor’s exam in March, 2016.

KOMO-News was present to witness Drew Morrison hostile to questions offering only nonsensical answers while he was under oath.  KOMO’s story offered another surprising turn of events typical of the Drew Morrison story.  Self-portrayed as a successful “serial” entrepreneur, popular on the Seattle Haute-fashion scene, Drew Morrison revealed he had turned from entrepreneur extraordinaire to an unemployed “couch-surfer” relying upon “gifts” from friends.   He was also very agitated that all his legal woes were created by other people.

Perhaps it was Drew Morrison’s insistent reply that he could not recall certain facts—including who was in charge of CityGuru—that prompted the Plaintiff’s second request for creditor’s supplemental exam which the court agreed to. The second round of questioning continued a month later and Drew Morrison’s demeanor—and response—did not change from the previous.  KOMO-News was, again, present and revealed that for the first time, the possibility Drew Morrison having to serve jail time  

While KOMO-News continues to peel away more layers which will likely reveal more surprises, as investors we are left with deeper questions; questions that still bewilder us over our own relationship with Drew Morrison.

It is obvious now that he has little or no business acumen, but we have to ask ourselves how we were ever sucked into believing he was the extraordinaire entrepreneur he portrayed himself to be? Admittedly, he chose small, inexperienced investors with IRA’s and life savings to charm, yet prudent due diligence by one of any of the several Morrison investors could have revealed…could have revealed what?

Even now as we get closer to the core of the onion, many of us are still puzzled over the question of: is Drew Morrison simply a wanna-be who learned the art of gab and buzz-words mixed with a little charm to hide his own ignorance? Or, is he sharper than he seems; totally capable of deliberate and calculating moves (and answers) to get what he wants?

We suppose it really doesn’t matter—rhetorically—whether you lose your money to someone’s stupidity or to their deceit. Which is worse?  You still lost your money!

But the facts still refuse to add up for us; making it more difficult to decide who it is we are dealing with. How can a person, such as Drew Morrison, raise close to a million dollars over a five year period from various investors—and not recall where it all went?

How does an Entrepreneur Extraordinaire turn couch-surfer still seem to be a fashion aficionado dressed in his bespoken suits and attire?

And even if one choses to remain unemployed for the sake of avoiding wage garnishments by judgment creditors—how does he support his rather comfortable lifestyle and how long do friends really provide hand-outs?

Yes, the closer we get to the core of the onion the more it does seem to stink.

 

To examine some of these questions, The CITYGURU INVESTOR extends an invitation to all investors, shareholders, creditors, friends who may know Drew Morrison best, to share their stories to be published here. The intended slant of the published interviews is not for editorial comment on the ongoing situation but a more personal look at the man they know as Drew Morrison, Andrew Bora, etc. Please contact us on this website or at CityGuruInvestor@Yahoo.com

On numerous occasions, Drew Morrison was contacted and invited to share his own story and thoughts—un-edited—on this website. To date he has never responded to our invitations.
At suggestions of some readers, we plan to request an interview and publish the first-hand account of one of Drew Morrison’s largest (known) investors. He is also noted as one of the Plaintiffs who was awarded a judgment against Drew Morrison—and has perhaps engaged in the most investigations and the most interaction with Morrison. He not only understands our own plights, he understands how Drew Morrison thinks. Should be interesting. Tune in.