Wilbur Ross swiped sweetener, didn’t pay house staff, Forbes claims

Wilbur Ross.
Spencer
Platt/Getty Images

• Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross swindled more than $120
  million out of former associates, according to a new
  report from Forbes.
• The magazine also outlined some smaller allegations,
  which a Commerce Department spokesman has since called
  “petty.”

Wilbur Ross, who has an estimated net worth of $700 million,
stole free artificial sweetener, didn’t pay his domestic staff,
and pledged money to charity but never paid it, according to a
damning new report which brands him as a serial grifter.

The US Commerce Secretary, who previously ran a private equity
fund, is the subject of a
bombshell report by Forbes that alleges that he swindled
associates out
of more than $120 million in total. The report is based on
lawsuits and interviews with 21 former colleagues.

The supposed swindling outlined in the report — including Ross’
trying to cut associates out of their share of money, taking
money out of their accounts, and misleading investors — could
rank Ross “among the biggest grifters in American history,”
Forbes reporter Dan Alexander wrote.

There were some smaller allegations, too.

According two ex-colleagues at Ross firm, WL Ross, the
millionaire once took handfuls of Sweet’N Low packets from a
nearby restaurant so he didn’t have to go out and buy them for
himself.

One added that workers at Ross’ house in the Hamptons used to
call the WL Ross offices claiming that Ross had not paid them.

Another two associates also accused Ross of pledging $1 million
to an unnamed charity, then not paying up.

A Commerce Department spokesman appeared to deny all those
claims, calling them “petty nonsense.” The official added that
Ross does not put sweetener in his coffee.

One of the biggest allegations in the Forbes report was that of
Ross and his firm charging current and former company executives
at least $48 million of improper fees. Private equity firms
typically collect management fees from outside clients, but
according to a lawsuit brought by three former WL Ross
executives, the company charged them too.

According to Alexander, this practice “would be like a restaurant
owner telling his employees that they can eat for free—while
taking the meal money out of their paychecks.” Ross says that
case is “without merit.”