Bull (2016) s01e17 Episode Script
Name Game
1 Ariel, I am very impressed.
This is gorgeous.
Oh.
(giggles) LUKE: That was totally meant for Theo.
I'm so sorry, Ms.
Howland.
Thank you, Kelsey.
Luke, lucky for you, I'm wearing this.
- So I'm not in trouble? - Of course you are.
But not nearly as much as if we were using oil paints.
(school bell rings) All right, see you soon.
I'm amazed how well you handled Luke.
Nothing can get to me today.
My stocks are way up.
It's like I hit the lottery.
My broker told me to hold another week or so, but I'm not greedy.
All I need is enough for the down payment on this condo.
No more 90-minute commutes to school.
Hang on.
This has to be a mistake.
It's gone.
My money's gone.
$87.
26 that's all that's left.
This is all of my savings.
GUARD: Hey! Where you think you're going? I have to talk to my stockbroker! (urgent chatter, phones ringing) BROKER: I'm calling about your account at Brannigan Trust.
Great news, you qualify for our free investment advisory services.
(chuckles): Yeah, great.
I've reviewed your account and have a couple of strong performers to recommend.
Sure, no pressure.
Talk to your husband when he gets home from work.
The stock won't be at this price tomorrow.
No, no, look, if you're asking me, you don't want to sell yet.
But that is between us, okay? And, nope, don't ask me how I know, just make sure to send me a postcard after you've cashed in and you're docking your yacht in the Bahamas.
Excuse me.
- Hello? - (chatter quiets) Uh, which one of you is Alex DuBois? Oh.
No way.
This is unbelievable.
This is a stock scam.
A woman is here.
She's looking for some advice.
Sounds like she got scammed in one of those bogus investment deals.
How much did she lose? $19,000.
That's not really what we do here, Chunk.
I know, but it looks like it pretty much wiped out her savings.
Can we help her out? Well, you could have Benny take a look at it.
Maybe there's a small claims case.
- Okay.
- Where is Benny? Late again.
Oh, he's running some errands.
(chuckles nervously) Hmm.
Look, um, her name is Erin Howland.
She went to the U.
S.
Attorney's Office, and they turned her down.
We can one-up the feds, right? Who is she? Friend of a friend.
If it's that fashion editor you introduced me to last month, the answer is no.
(chuckles) No.
She's not.
Supermodel? She's my nephew's fifth grade teacher.
I can't believe this happened to me.
It's humiliating.
It's okay.
You can trust Bull.
Just tell him what you told me.
About six months ago, an investment advisor called me.
He told me about some stocks.
- A sure thing.
- I know what you're thinking, but I'm not one of those people.
Ask anyone.
Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.
Well, telemarketers can be persuasive.
They once got me for a 400-buck pen.
It's a valuable lesson for a ten-year-old, though.
I wasn't looking for a get-rich-quick scheme.
I thought I was investing responsibly.
As soon as I bought the stock, the price shot up.
- I was making a huge profit.
- Mm.
On paper.
I wanted to sell, but he told me to hold on for a few more weeks.
Well, the price crashed, along with almost my entire savings.
$19,000.
You want us to track this guy down? I did that already, which is how I found out it's a scam.
Hmm.
Well, you're clearly proactive.
Not a pushover.
So, I'm curious, why would you trust a stranger with your entire life savings? He wasn't a stranger.
He worked at my bank, Brannigan Trust.
The Brannigan Trust? Yeah.
BULL: Well, they cleared out fast.
Looks more like a boiler room than a bank.
CHUNK: Brannigan Trust has been around since J.
P.
Morgan.
Why would they get involved in a boiler room? I'm telling you, it was them.
That's where the sign was; it said: - Alternative Investment Division.
- CHUNK: And this is where - you were last week? - As soon as I left, I called the FBI, the SEC, the U.
S.
Attorney, the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General, and Brannigan Trust.
Well, that explains why they left so fast.
And they all gave me the runaround.
Do you think there's any chance I get my money back? First, we have to find out who stole it.
- Where did you get that? - (sighs) Belongs to the notary next door.
We should hurry before she notices it's gone.
- (phone vibrating) - Check your caller I.
D.
Brannigan Trust.
See, I told you.
I know somebody who works there.
I'm gonna pay him a little visit.
(door opens) Oh, are you the notary from next door? I was trying to call you.
I-I think I found your phone.
You hungry? No, I try to stay away from that stuff.
You know, a pastrami sandwich can usually make things better.
But not today.
Does this have anything to do with that old case of yours? Hayden Watkins, yes.
Last night, the appeals court overturned the verdict.
Apparently, there's new DNA evidence.
The DNA evidence cleared him? He did nine years for a crime he didn't commit.
And? I'm under investigation by the U.
S.
Attorney.
Prosecutorial misconduct.
What did you do? Nothing.
Any time a murder conviction is reversed, it's reviewed.
First person under a microscope is the prosecutor.
When are you gonna tell Bull? (sighs) BULL: Thanks for seeing me, Griffin.
I've been meaning to call.
Are you gonna serve on the flight museum board with me again? Well, if you insist.
So, what was so urgent? Well, I have this client who lost 19 grand in one of your brokerage divisions.
Whose daughter is it? What trust fund did she just get access to? No trust-afarian.
She's a schoolteacher.
And it seems she was duped by an overly aggressive broker named Alex DuBois.
Well, I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of 275,000 employees.
I know you do, but it turns out that every broker in this Alternative Investment Division were operating under that name.
Well, I'll have someone look into it.
She said she got a call from this bank, offering her the deal of a lifetime.
I've been banking here for 25 years.
I'm just wondering why no one ever called and made me that offer.
(sighs) My client wants her money back.
It's 19 grand, Griffin.
Jason, they're called "alternative" investments for a reason.
We can't return money to everyone who complains about losing in the market.
There are others? Griffin.
Cable, do a phone dump on the outgoing calls from those empty bank offices.
- Would you? - What are we looking for? More victims.
I never invested in the market before.
Figured I'd give it a try.
They conned me out of 12 grand and lined their pockets.
My own bank took me for a ride.
I worked for the transit authority for 40 years, kept all my savings in Brannigan Trust.
72,000 bucks just like that, it's gone.
Totally.
They told me I was investing in high-tech drones.
It sounded really cool.
Turns out, the company only has one customer and really bad R&D.
Yeah, well, you know, they hustled me out of 37,000 bucks.
I was planning on buying a Sea Ray, doing some fishing, you know, on the weekends.
I could kill (urgent chatter) Starts with "A" through "C.
" There you go.
Okay.
BENNY: Chunk.
CHUNK: Hey.
I'm Benny Colón, TAC's in-house counsel.
Erin Howland.
Oh, so you're the one responsible for all this.
And Chunk.
I-I had no idea there would be this many people scammed by the bank.
Got more than we expected.
Are you gonna be handling the trial? I will, so if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask.
(laughs) Nice turnout.
I have my doubts.
Class actions don't fall into your lap every day.
It's a contingency case with 4,000 victims from across the country.
The costs will be astronomical.
High risk, high reward.
We will have to front all the expenses: travel, research, depositions, financial analysis, trial prep, expert witness fees, not to mention the thousands of man-hours that TAC would invest in the case.
Look, Brannigan Trust is gonna fight.
Hard.
We could lose millions.
We could win millions.
Exactly, all or nothing.
You'd be betting the future of the firm on one case.
You're right.
It's a big gamble.
Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention, please? My name is Dr.
Jason Bull.
Welcome to the class action.
- (elevator bell dings) - We have to prove that it was reasonable for our victims to have relied on the brokers' advice.
- (sighs) - That advice was fraudulent because the brokers had information that they did not share.
With the operative word being "reasonable.
" Civil trial, federal court there's no wiggle room.
I know.
Jury has to be unanimous.
Hey, you know that Bull wants to target Griffin Fuller, CEO of Brannigan Trust? He lawyered up as soon as Bull left his office.
'Cause he's got a lot on the line.
Third largest bank in the world.
5,700 branches, $2.
3 trillion in assets, over 72 million clients.
Well, 4,211 of those clients are victims.
Yeah, out $100 million.
Well, with the standard contingency fee, if we win, we win a third of the judgment.
A third? Minus our expenses.
Could also win millions in punitive damages.
This is exactly what got our victims into trouble.
The fantasy of a massive windfall.
- CHUNK: Fantasy sold to them - Well by a bank they trusted.
Okay, we are already way over budget.
We can't keep digging into reserves.
Fantasy of easy money.
These are the stockbrokers from Brannigan's Alternative Investment Division.
Were.
They all got pink-slipped when the division was shut down.
- Where are they now? - MARISSA: Telemarketing, sales, brokerage firms.
Wait, Sofia Dern pulled in nearly $750,000? Pump-and-dump was very good to her.
CABLE: Yeah, I know a little about the stock market, but my knowledge of a pump-and-dump doesn't go beyond that movie Boiler Room.
So how are we gonna explain that to a jury without the aid of a young Ben Affleck or Vin Diesel? Pump-and-dump fraud is as old as stock brokering itself.
There are three steps.
Step one: the buy.
Stockbrokers in Brannigan Trust purchased millions of dollars worth of stocks for themselves.
Then they got their clients to purchase the same stocks, on a massive scale.
You don't want to buy a stock.
No.
You want to buy a life, Jake.
The life you deserve.
Jake, this is your chance.
Buy that life.
Yes! Step two: the pump.
More and more people invested in this stock.
Let's call it Hagen Tool & Die.
That made the price skyrocket.
(cash register rings) A $2 stock was suddenly worth $10.
The clients were thrilled.
So were the brokers.
(excited chatter, cheering) ALL (chanting): Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug (chanting continues) (whooping, cheering) All right, let's hear it for Hagen Tool & Die closing in at 15 2/10! (cheering) Step three: the dump.
When the stock is worth many times what the brokers paid for their shares Sell! Sell! Yes, all of my shares.
Are you deaf? The sudden flood of supply made the stock value tank.
But the brokers had already cashed out tens of millions.
Yes! Oh, yes! (exhales) Meanwhile, the clients they lost everything.
The mock jury loved the presentation, but they still found for the bank.
The majority still think our clients were greedy or stupid or both.
Well, they haven't heard from Erin.
She'll present well.
Schoolteacher, smart, not out for money.
No, it's not enough.
We have to change the narrative entirely because this case is all about trust.
These investors trusted their bank.
They'd never give their money to some fly-by-night operation.
We could target jurors who are loyal to particular brands, people who understand why victims trusted the Brannigan name.
No, brand-loyal jurors will find for Brannigan.
They want to believe in their established institutions.
We want the opposite.
Disloyal jurors? People who aren't attached to specific brands.
People who know you can't just blindly rely on a name.
So people how keep their money under the mattress.
Yeah.
They shop in independent bookstores, and they eat at mom-and-pop diners.
(sighs) We want jurors who will accept that just because it's called Brannigan Trust doesn't mean it can be trusted.
Ah.
So what's this? Your hand.
It's a sign of uncertainty.
That's unlike you.
It's also an indicator of an itchy neck.
Hmm.
I hope it doesn't get any worse.
I'm sure it's just a bite.
I mean this trend of tardiness lately.
Sorry, I didn't even realize we had an early meeting.
That's good news.
Judge Vortuba is hearing the case.
That's not good news.
Uh, I thought you guys were buddies.
We were.
BAILIFF: All rise.
The Honorable Judge Robert Vortuba presiding.
Good morning, everyone.
Dr.
Bull.
Judge.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Uh, before we get started, I want to disclose that I keep some of my money in Brannigan Trust I don't think it's a conflict.
But in the interest of fairness, I'll entertain argument.
- (quietly): We need a new judge.
- Leave it.
He gave you the stink eye; that is not a good sign.
If you ask him to recuse himself, he'll turn you down, and then he'll hold it against you - for the rest of the trial.
- What did you do to him? Long story.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Any objections, Counselor? Uh, none whatsoever.
We're confident of Your Honor's ability to be fair and impartial.
We respectfully request that you recuse yourself.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Your request is duly noted and denied.
(clears throat) Your Honor, for the record, I have to state that this lawsuit is nothing more than a thinly veiled shakedown.
I think that's for the jury to decide.
Dr.
Bull, I wasn't aware you had a law degree.
No, still just the PhDs.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Oh, good.
Well, we're about to start voir dire, and I'm not going to allow anybody to manipulate my jury.
Isn't that the purpose of a trial? Lawyers try to influence the jury with facts and arguments? You'll be allowed back in the courtroom after we finish voir dire.
Uh, (clears throat) respectfully, I'd ask the court's indulgence.
Dr.
Bull is an integral part of the team.
I made my ruling.
Hmm.
Have fun.
Your Honor.
Counsel.
Benny did a good job in voir dire, but we have some problems.
BENNY: Bull could have been there to help, if he hadn't ran over the judge's dog.
- It was a cat, actually.
- Oh.
Very old.
I'm kidding.
I told you not to ask him to recuse himself.
BENNY: I made a judgment call.
That's what worries me.
Juror number one, Sienna White, she has a PhD in linguistics.
Works as a translator for the U.
N.
Hard worker, rule follower.
Bad for us.
She'll think our clients were looking to make a fast buck.
Juror number three is Larry Dane.
BENNY: He's a problem.
He'll think our clients are reckless.
But I ran out of strikes.
Well, don't fret, Benny.
We have a secret weapon.
4,211 clients, and we get to select which ones the jury will see.
- Shopping for witnesses.
Fun.
- Mm-hmm.
We get to pick the ones who appeal to each of our jurors.
We just need a star witness to lead off, someone with instant appeal to Sienna and Larry, someone to cement our narrative in their minds.
I will run all of our clients through the algorithm and narrow it down to 50.
Great.
Let's make a competition out of this, boiler-room style.
Everyone picks their favorite candidate and argues their case, and the mock jury will decide the winner.
Hmm.
And what's the prize? $5,000 bonus.
Why don't we just go with Erin? She brought us the case.
BULL: Her demeanor is too amenable, Benny.
The prosecution will make her out to be a novice investor, easily pressured.
They'll say she was coaxed into buying the stocks, but there was no fraud.
I'll-I'll prep her.
It'll be good for her to get hour story out.
She can give a victim impact statement after we win.
BENNY: Just give me a chance to see if the mock jury resonates with her.
Wow.
- You do have a type.
- Come on.
BULL: Okay, fine, in the spirit of competition, she is now officially your pick for the finals.
Prove me wrong.
These people should have met with their financial advisor before giving away their life savings.
Well, I've never met my financial advisor.
What You have a financial advisor? Yeah, he handles my portfolio.
She has a portfolio.
DANNY: How much money do you have? - None of your business.
- Ooh.
What are you invested in? Okay, if you must know, I put most of my money in aggressive S&P index funds.
You know, 'cause I'm young.
DANNY: Wait a minute, what else are you invested in? Medical marijuana.
MARISSA: Hmm.
Hmm.
- Uh-uh.
- DANNY: Huh.
Who is that? Uh, don't worry about it.
What You found someone.
- Why didn't you pick Erin? - I didn't have a chance.
Benny grabbed her up.
MARISSA: Benny, huh? What's going on there? CHUNK: You got me, but I'll still find someone to win this.
DANNY: In your dreams.
The five grand is mine.
Hey, hey, hey! (laughs) Snooze you lose! (laughs) BULL: Let the games begin.
Erin Howland, 32.
Single, teacher, fiscally responsible.
- And donates to charity.
- MARISSA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bring her home to your mom, not this jury.
My client, Nell, and juror number three, Larry, both have backgrounds in computer science.
Their analytical and forward-thinking mindset will ensure that Larry can relate to her.
CHUNK: You got Larry, but the other 11 jurors are gonna see Nell as nitpicky.
Hank? No.
Trustworthy, good eye contact and posture.
He looks arrogant and unapproachable.
He'll alienate our best jurors.
My victim has a strong social media presence.
He's opinionated, articulate.
- Sienna will love him.
- DANNY: Sienna will hate him.
Your client's a professional victim.
His Yelp posts are all complaints.
CABLE: Yeah, but they're funny unlike your client, who is blocked by every celebrity on Twitter.
Jasmine's background check was spotless not even a traffic ticket.
See what the promise of money did? Just like the stockbrokers, you exaggerated the positives and omitted the negatives.
And that is what our jury has to understand.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but who wins? BULL: No one, yet.
I want to see them after they've gone through witness prep.
(chuckles): Oh, well, I can do that.
I don't trust you.
Conflict of interest.
Well, you need someone to lead with.
Want to start with Erin? No.
Doesn't set the right tone.
Break it to her gently.
We might call you to the stand, just not as the first witness.
I started saving six years ago.
I had $19,000.
Half of it was my mother's.
She was helping me buy a new place so I don't have to commute an hour and a half to school each day.
My mom needs that money.
You can sit next to me at the plaintiff's table during the trial.
Did Bull okay you to offer Erin a seat at the table? What? You saw her.
It was damage control.
Where's Benny Colón? Oh, that's me.
You are? Sofia Dern.
Why the hell'd you send me a subpoena? (quietly): You sent her a subpoena? Bull must have sent it.
Well, uh, you were a broker at Brannigan Trust, which means you have relevant information.
You need to tell the jury what happened.
How much you gonna pay me? It doesn't work that way.
The SEC involved? - No one is charging you with a crime.
- Oh.
So I'm an expert witness.
You're lucky you're not at the defense table.
No money, no testimony.
If you don't show up, you will be subject to arrest.
(grabs papers) Our victims all feel like victims.
We need a predator right off the bat.
MARISSA: What you got to be kidding me.
No, jury's gonna love her, especially Sienna and Larry.
Whoa! Yeah.
We just found our star witness.
We empathize with those who lost money, but that's the nature of the market.
Mr.
Fuller is too much of a gentleman to say it, so I'll say it.
The plaintiffs are unwilling to accept the consequences of their decisions, and now they're seeking compensation from the deepest pockets.
Predictable, trying to paint our clients as greedy.
We're giving them plenty of ammunition by starting off with Sofia.
The jury'll see what our clients were up against.
Prep was a nightmare.
She doesn't want to testify.
Stick with the plan, play to her ego.
She won't be able to resist bragging about her conquests.
She's gonna help us prove the elements of fraud.
She is going to be uncooperative.
I'll have to treat her as a hostile witness.
Vortuba's not gonna let you ask leading questions, so don't do it.
What is it with you and that judge? He's not the problem.
I need her cooperative and not feeling forced; are you on board? Where is your star witness? Building anticipation for her testimony, no doubt.
Are all parties ready to proceed? The defense answers ready for trial.
- Mr.
Colón? - Yes, Your Honor.
Our first witness is not here yet.
I'd like to request an arrest warrant for failure to appear.
It is so ordered.
You have until the end of the day to find her, but the show must go on.
So we'll have a 30-minute recess, and then we'll hear opening statements and go right into witnesses.
SOFIA (recorded): You've reached Sofia Dern's office.
Straight to voice mail.
None of the other witnesses are ready to testify.
- Then stall.
- How? File a motion.
Argue a point of discovery.
You've done this before.
What Where are you going? Shop for a car.
Stall till I get back.
You don't have to come up with some bogus reason to stall and annoy the jury; put me on the stand.
Bull wants to see you in front of a mock jury first.
I'm ready.
Look, we haven't finished your prep.
Then let's finish it.
I'm a quick study.
No, we only have 30 minutes.
Have you ever worked with 11-year-olds? That's an eternity.
Silver Tempest, my favorite color.
You have good taste.
This is the sexiest car on the lot.
Well, I've been eyeing it for a while.
It's the perfect ride for people like us.
People like us? Someone who won't settle for anything but the best.
Am I wrong? Well, cars like this can be temperamental.
I don't want to spend my whole life in the shop.
Well, that is the best feature of them all.
It's a brand you can trust.
How about we take it for a spin? Why don't we? I trusted them.
I had no reason not to.
I'd been with Brannigan since I was a teenager.
My babysitting money was in there.
(quietly): This looks a lot easier when Bull does it.
ERIN: I've never fallen for anything like this.
Fool me once.
(chuckles) MARISSA (over earpiece): How's it going? Sienna's tilting her head.
It looks like she's warming to Erin.
I can relate.
Pretty much every teenage girl on the planet earned money babysitting.
Not me.
- Why not? - All my siblings were older.
They babysat me.
My parents made me come up with more creative ways to make money.
- Like hacking? - Maybe.
GLAUSTER: Years ago, Ms.
Howland, you donated to the Humanitarian Fund of America.
I think that was the name of it.
Uh, is there a point to this, Your Honor? Charity was a fraud.
Shut down by the IRS three years ago.
MARISSA: Wait, why did Erin not tell us that she'd been conned before? CHUNK: By the looks of it, she just found out.
It's not like we have a list of every charity she donated to.
We need to prove that her actions were reasonable.
Like Bull predicted, he's making her look uninformed, like she doesn't do her homework.
HFOA was a fraud? - Are you sure? - GLAUSTER: So I guess it's fool you twice, isn't it, Ms.
Howland? Objection! (chuckles nervously) We still have other witnesses.
How am I so gullible? Hey.
We all make mistakes.
Sometimes well-meaning, but still life-changing.
I recently had a case resurface.
I sent a man to prison for nine years for a crime he didn't commit.
So I know what you're dealing with.
Look, you are not a fool.
Okay? You are a kind and beautiful woman, whose kindness got taken advantage of.
Yeah? Yeah.
I bet you love the control.
Indescribable.
(chuckles) This isn't my normal route, but we're having fun, right? Right.
Why are we stopping here? What's going on? Well, that man has a warrant for your arrest.
You're supposed to appear in court and testify.
In fact, you have about five minutes.
If you hurry, you can make it.
What about my car? Oh, don't worry, it's in good hands.
I'll keep it warm for you.
Tell the truth.
Sofia Dern, come with me.
(chuckles) BENNY: Uh, Ms.
Dern, so you were one of the top stockbrokers at Brannigan Trust? Are you serious? I was the top earner.
BENNY: Which means what? You were making about $300,000 a year? Last year, I netted over $750,000.
BENNY: Did you disclose your own interest in the stocks to your clients? It was part of the pitch.
What about when you were planning to sell? Did you disclose that? Sometimes.
But I never said I would.
You used the name "Brannigan Trust" as bait.
Objection.
Leading.
Sustained.
BENNY: Would it surprise you to learn that you mentioned Brannigan Trust an average of seven times per call? You have to lead with your strongest suit.
MARISSA: Biometrics are telling me that even though we proved the elements of fraud, the mirrors for Sienna and Larry don't think they'd fall for her pitch.
They want more than the law requires.
They need to see it wasn't just fraudulent, but malicious as well.
(pen taps paper) Excuse me, Your Honor.
Were specific Brannigan clients targeted? We call them leads.
Oh.
People like Erin Howland and first-time investors.
Who else? Elderly clients near retirement, so we could pitch them on a last push into wealth before they have to dip into their savings.
BULL: Sienna's getting uncomfortable.
She thinks Sofia's deceptive.
But our projections indicate that six of our jurors won't hold their ground.
They'll cave to Larry within the first day of deliberations.
And these leads were they on a list? Yes.
And what was that list called? The Sucker's List.
BENNY: The Sucker's List landed on the jury.
Sofia's really going to help us.
Why'd you call Erin to the stand? You said stall.
Was anything I said unclear when we discussed this? I didn't think she'd sway the jury, and she didn't.
Now we need a new strategy.
- Why? - I I was in a jam.
You can't lie to me, - so don't try.
- Fine! Fine.
I thought she'd do better.
But come on.
We just started our attack, okay? - Sofia went well.
- Not well enough.
We need to call Fuller.
Brannigan's CEO? Mm-hmm.
If we call him, Glauster will get to cross-examine him with softball questions.
Let the defense call him to the stand.
We have to call him; otherwise, it'll look like we're afraid of what he has to say.
Worse, it'll look like he's a witness for the defense.
- He is.
- But it won't look that way if we call him as a witness for the prosecution.
He's smooth.
Expose him for who he is: a man who made $76 million last year, while his clients lost everything.
His company targeted these people and stole their money.
I need aggro-Benny.
Pit bull.
All right.
I hear you.
Do you? Yes! (door closes) Brannigan Trust has a long-standing tradition of excellence.
It's a respected institution, part of the fabric of so many lives.
We offer small business loans Eh, let's-let's focus on your Alternative Investment Division, where Sofia Dern worked.
Ms.
Dern is an overly aggressive salesperson.
- But your company hired her.
- And we fired her.
Because she was involved in a pump-and-dump supported by Brannigan Trust.
Objection.
Leading, compound and badgering.
Sustained, sustained and sustained.
Benny's invading Fuller's space.
MARISSA: Well, you said pit bull.
BENNY: Did you close the division? It was folded into another division.
It was a corporate decision made due to several factors, all in the best interest of our shareholders.
But not your clients.
- Is there a question coming? - BENNY: Yes, sure.
Here's one: Putting all the corporate babble aside, isn't it true that the division was nothing more than a boiler room in a high-rent office?! GLAUSTER: Objection! Sustained.
Last warning.
BULL: He's supposed to make Fuller look like the bully, not the other way around.
BENNY: The high volume and the timing of the sale clearly shows intent to defraud, don't you agree? FULLER: No, I don't.
Our brokers didn't sell penny stocks, which are what you normally associate with the boiler rooms you're talking about.
All stocks were listed on NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange.
More than 4,000 people lost their entire savings.
FULLER: And tens of thousands made money.
Now, I do feel for your clients, but in the same way that I feel for those who lose their savings in Vegas.
It's about personal responsibility.
You buried the fact that you targeted Erin, all of these victims, who were referred to as "suckers," because they were vulnerable.
GLAUSTER: Objection! Again, where's the question? JUDGE VORTUBA: Sustained.
BULL: Larry's checked out.
He's made up his mind, and it's not in our favor.
Your Honor, let me rephrase.
We've rephrased enough.
Sit down.
MARISSA: By the way, costs are double our initial estimate.
We'll make it back.
Well, if not, you may need to hit Fuller up for a loan.
BENNY: Hey, we should talk.
I-I know.
I didn't mean to look embarrassed in front of the jury, but I didn't know you were gonna call me out for being vulnerable.
It wasn't scripted, and I was a little out of control.
(exhales) That kiss should've never happened.
I know.
You're right.
Can't happen again.
It was unprofessional.
And fun.
(exhales) You are my client.
And you're going through a lot.
I don't want to take advantage of that.
Maybe you're the one who can't handle it.
Congratulations.
You could sell water to a whale.
Whales need water.
Thanks for taking care of my arrest warrant.
Thanks for your testimony.
So we're even.
- Yeah.
- I'll see you around.
I was hoping, uh, we could make one more deal.
(chuckles) I don't think so.
You might enjoy it.
Whatever it is, it'll cost you.
We have one juror who was not convinced by your testimony.
Oh, really? Mm.
Thinks he's immune to being sold.
You convince him that it's not just suckers who get scammed, you can name your price.
One provision.
You cannot, under any circumstances, discuss the case.
Because that would be tampering? Here's the way I think this works.
It's all about the approach.
At least, that's what they taught us at the FBI.
You know, one time I spent a month jogging on the same path as a target until it felt natural to introduce myself.
Sofia's on the accelerated plan.
She doesn't need him to get to turn state's witness.
All she needs to do is convince him that not only suckers get conned.
Didn't I see you in court? Yeah.
I'm Sofia.
Larry.
You're not gonna get that cake pop, are you? Oh, no.
Deferential.
Good first step.
Very appealing to Larry.
SOFIA: You know, it's so funny.
I get to stand up there and you get to hear all about me, but I don't get to know anything about you.
We won't get in trouble for talking, will we? - As long as we don't talk about the case.
- Oh.
I'm an accountant.
You know, I love numbers.
Finance is my passion.
Mint? BULL: Best way to solidify trust is to offer something.
If they accept and offer something in return, a bond has been formed.
Hmm.
My-my treat.
DANNY: And there it is.
BULL: And now he'll trust her no matter what she says.
There's a table.
Uh, sorry.
I have to be back in court.
Oh, no.
No, you don't.
Not yet.
- You have at least 15 minutes.
- Really? Yeah.
Judge.
Hello.
Ms.
Dern? Exactly what are you two doing? Uh, we're allowed to talk, aren't we? (chuckles): Oh.
Hey, Judge Vortuba.
That's not good.
Oh, don't give me that.
I know this was you, Bull.
I know it was you! Disgraceful.
More cheating.
I didn't, and I don't cheat, Judge.
And I can have you disbarred.
Your Honor, I had no idea Ms.
Dern was with one of the jurors.
GLAUSTER: Oh, their witness was clearly trying to influence him.
The defense moves for an immediate dismissal, with prejudice.
Do you have any proof that there was misconduct? I would be delighted to hear it.
Res ipsa loquitur.
It speaks for itself.
If I find a scintilla of proof that there was jury tampering Tuba, you know better than that.
BENNY: Now, the prudent thing to do is to have juror number three removed from the panel and replaced with an alternate.
You've got to be kidding me! You want to be rewarded for what you've done? Even absent any evidence that they discussed the case, or that his opinion was altered, you still have the option of removing the juror.
No, thank you, Your Honor.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Fine.
We'll move to closing arguments.
And you are barred from my courtroom.
(sighs) (door slams) Well, your plan was inventive.
I'll give you that.
Judge Vortuba hasn't been in a coffee shop in two years.
Today he decides to get his own beverage? Vortuba already hated us.
I'm worried about Larry.
We need a unanimous vote, and we humiliated him.
Total backfire.
Not necessarily.
True, he's embarrassed.
And he's gonna blame it on me.
As an unintended consequence, we almost got Larry booted.
All we have to do is spin this in our favor.
Bull.
(sighs) Our juror is angry.
We tried to trick him.
Tried.
To prove fraud, we don't need Larry to have fallen for this.
All we need is to show him he fell for Sofia, so he can still identify with our victims.
Feel the same thing: shame, then anger.
We got this, Benny.
These plaintiffs knew exactly what they were doing.
They played the market, and they lost.
So now they're suing the bank? (laughs) I mean, what next? Suing the lottery when you don't win the jackpot? That's not reasonable.
Investors have to take responsibility for their own decisions.
MARISSA: He's effective.
Sienna's mirror is wavering.
Being the victim of a scam is a frustrating and embarrassing experience, whether you fall for it or not.
That's no reason to blame the victim.
Blame the people who manipulated the system with target research and sophisticated marketing tools to con the people that they didn't think had the wherewithal to take on the system.
Brannigan Trust, a name we all thought we can trust, committed fraud simply by making the offer.
You don't have to buy into it to see it.
We proved it, their brokers admitted it.
Any reasonable person can see their misrepresentation of the facts.
They've been out for five hours.
Bull would say that's a good thing.
How much money did we spend on this trial? A lot.
Are we gonna be okay if we lose it? DANNY: What are you worried about? With your joint ventures and your bank accounts? I told you, I don't talk about personal finance at work.
MARISSA: Okay, we're fine.
- You have nothing to worry about.
- (phone vibrates) Jury's back.
What is it with you and this judge? TP his house or something? Chunk, no.
That's very juvenile.
Did you sleep with his wife? No.
He thinks I kicked my ball out of the rough.
It was just an acorn.
This is about golf? - Isn't everything? - Oh, man.
You cheated? I don't need to cheat with him.
Vortuba's eyes are failing.
He won't get checked.
That's what I think this is really about.
Maybe you can give him a session before this verdict.
- REPORTER: Here they come! - REPORTER 2: Can you tell us the verdict? REPORTER 3: Did they find in your favor? MAN: We won! Brannigan Trust is guilty! (people cheering, clamoring) Excuse me.
Hi.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Thank you for everything.
Be careful with her.
What? No, no, no.
You got it all wrong.
We're not Looks like you are.
(laughs) I thought about it.
I wanted to.
Not the right time.
You tell Bull about the Hayden Watkins thing yet? Don't want to bother the boss with my little problems.
It's not little, Benny.
ERIN: (laughs) It's great.
I'm so happy.
Well, good.
You deserve it.
So I get my $19,000 back? And add a zero for punitive damages.
(chuckles) That's amazing.
Spend some of it on yourself.
And my mom.
And your mom.
But you should go out and get what you really want.
Buy yourself a house.
Cut down on that hour-long commute to school.
(laughs) BENNY: By the way, you never told me how you got Sofia to cooperate.
Easy.
She's transactional by nature.
Just had to come up with the right offer.
Luckily, I needed a new car.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Enjoy it.
Thanks.
Come on, I'll give you a lift home.
You want to tell me what's going on with you? It's nothing.
Well, it It's this thing with my co-op, and it's not even worth getting into.
So you'll tell me when you're ready.
It's nothing.
(sighs) Benny.
Yeah.
Get it together.
And I say hey, hey, hey, hey Living like we're renegades (sighs) Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey Living like we're renegades Renegades A wise man told me to go after what I want.
So here I am.
Renegades.
This is gorgeous.
Oh.
(giggles) LUKE: That was totally meant for Theo.
I'm so sorry, Ms.
Howland.
Thank you, Kelsey.
Luke, lucky for you, I'm wearing this.
- So I'm not in trouble? - Of course you are.
But not nearly as much as if we were using oil paints.
(school bell rings) All right, see you soon.
I'm amazed how well you handled Luke.
Nothing can get to me today.
My stocks are way up.
It's like I hit the lottery.
My broker told me to hold another week or so, but I'm not greedy.
All I need is enough for the down payment on this condo.
No more 90-minute commutes to school.
Hang on.
This has to be a mistake.
It's gone.
My money's gone.
$87.
26 that's all that's left.
This is all of my savings.
GUARD: Hey! Where you think you're going? I have to talk to my stockbroker! (urgent chatter, phones ringing) BROKER: I'm calling about your account at Brannigan Trust.
Great news, you qualify for our free investment advisory services.
(chuckles): Yeah, great.
I've reviewed your account and have a couple of strong performers to recommend.
Sure, no pressure.
Talk to your husband when he gets home from work.
The stock won't be at this price tomorrow.
No, no, look, if you're asking me, you don't want to sell yet.
But that is between us, okay? And, nope, don't ask me how I know, just make sure to send me a postcard after you've cashed in and you're docking your yacht in the Bahamas.
Excuse me.
- Hello? - (chatter quiets) Uh, which one of you is Alex DuBois? Oh.
No way.
This is unbelievable.
This is a stock scam.
A woman is here.
She's looking for some advice.
Sounds like she got scammed in one of those bogus investment deals.
How much did she lose? $19,000.
That's not really what we do here, Chunk.
I know, but it looks like it pretty much wiped out her savings.
Can we help her out? Well, you could have Benny take a look at it.
Maybe there's a small claims case.
- Okay.
- Where is Benny? Late again.
Oh, he's running some errands.
(chuckles nervously) Hmm.
Look, um, her name is Erin Howland.
She went to the U.
S.
Attorney's Office, and they turned her down.
We can one-up the feds, right? Who is she? Friend of a friend.
If it's that fashion editor you introduced me to last month, the answer is no.
(chuckles) No.
She's not.
Supermodel? She's my nephew's fifth grade teacher.
I can't believe this happened to me.
It's humiliating.
It's okay.
You can trust Bull.
Just tell him what you told me.
About six months ago, an investment advisor called me.
He told me about some stocks.
- A sure thing.
- I know what you're thinking, but I'm not one of those people.
Ask anyone.
Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.
Well, telemarketers can be persuasive.
They once got me for a 400-buck pen.
It's a valuable lesson for a ten-year-old, though.
I wasn't looking for a get-rich-quick scheme.
I thought I was investing responsibly.
As soon as I bought the stock, the price shot up.
- I was making a huge profit.
- Mm.
On paper.
I wanted to sell, but he told me to hold on for a few more weeks.
Well, the price crashed, along with almost my entire savings.
$19,000.
You want us to track this guy down? I did that already, which is how I found out it's a scam.
Hmm.
Well, you're clearly proactive.
Not a pushover.
So, I'm curious, why would you trust a stranger with your entire life savings? He wasn't a stranger.
He worked at my bank, Brannigan Trust.
The Brannigan Trust? Yeah.
BULL: Well, they cleared out fast.
Looks more like a boiler room than a bank.
CHUNK: Brannigan Trust has been around since J.
P.
Morgan.
Why would they get involved in a boiler room? I'm telling you, it was them.
That's where the sign was; it said: - Alternative Investment Division.
- CHUNK: And this is where - you were last week? - As soon as I left, I called the FBI, the SEC, the U.
S.
Attorney, the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General, and Brannigan Trust.
Well, that explains why they left so fast.
And they all gave me the runaround.
Do you think there's any chance I get my money back? First, we have to find out who stole it.
- Where did you get that? - (sighs) Belongs to the notary next door.
We should hurry before she notices it's gone.
- (phone vibrating) - Check your caller I.
D.
Brannigan Trust.
See, I told you.
I know somebody who works there.
I'm gonna pay him a little visit.
(door opens) Oh, are you the notary from next door? I was trying to call you.
I-I think I found your phone.
You hungry? No, I try to stay away from that stuff.
You know, a pastrami sandwich can usually make things better.
But not today.
Does this have anything to do with that old case of yours? Hayden Watkins, yes.
Last night, the appeals court overturned the verdict.
Apparently, there's new DNA evidence.
The DNA evidence cleared him? He did nine years for a crime he didn't commit.
And? I'm under investigation by the U.
S.
Attorney.
Prosecutorial misconduct.
What did you do? Nothing.
Any time a murder conviction is reversed, it's reviewed.
First person under a microscope is the prosecutor.
When are you gonna tell Bull? (sighs) BULL: Thanks for seeing me, Griffin.
I've been meaning to call.
Are you gonna serve on the flight museum board with me again? Well, if you insist.
So, what was so urgent? Well, I have this client who lost 19 grand in one of your brokerage divisions.
Whose daughter is it? What trust fund did she just get access to? No trust-afarian.
She's a schoolteacher.
And it seems she was duped by an overly aggressive broker named Alex DuBois.
Well, I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of 275,000 employees.
I know you do, but it turns out that every broker in this Alternative Investment Division were operating under that name.
Well, I'll have someone look into it.
She said she got a call from this bank, offering her the deal of a lifetime.
I've been banking here for 25 years.
I'm just wondering why no one ever called and made me that offer.
(sighs) My client wants her money back.
It's 19 grand, Griffin.
Jason, they're called "alternative" investments for a reason.
We can't return money to everyone who complains about losing in the market.
There are others? Griffin.
Cable, do a phone dump on the outgoing calls from those empty bank offices.
- Would you? - What are we looking for? More victims.
I never invested in the market before.
Figured I'd give it a try.
They conned me out of 12 grand and lined their pockets.
My own bank took me for a ride.
I worked for the transit authority for 40 years, kept all my savings in Brannigan Trust.
72,000 bucks just like that, it's gone.
Totally.
They told me I was investing in high-tech drones.
It sounded really cool.
Turns out, the company only has one customer and really bad R&D.
Yeah, well, you know, they hustled me out of 37,000 bucks.
I was planning on buying a Sea Ray, doing some fishing, you know, on the weekends.
I could kill (urgent chatter) Starts with "A" through "C.
" There you go.
Okay.
BENNY: Chunk.
CHUNK: Hey.
I'm Benny Colón, TAC's in-house counsel.
Erin Howland.
Oh, so you're the one responsible for all this.
And Chunk.
I-I had no idea there would be this many people scammed by the bank.
Got more than we expected.
Are you gonna be handling the trial? I will, so if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask.
(laughs) Nice turnout.
I have my doubts.
Class actions don't fall into your lap every day.
It's a contingency case with 4,000 victims from across the country.
The costs will be astronomical.
High risk, high reward.
We will have to front all the expenses: travel, research, depositions, financial analysis, trial prep, expert witness fees, not to mention the thousands of man-hours that TAC would invest in the case.
Look, Brannigan Trust is gonna fight.
Hard.
We could lose millions.
We could win millions.
Exactly, all or nothing.
You'd be betting the future of the firm on one case.
You're right.
It's a big gamble.
Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention, please? My name is Dr.
Jason Bull.
Welcome to the class action.
- (elevator bell dings) - We have to prove that it was reasonable for our victims to have relied on the brokers' advice.
- (sighs) - That advice was fraudulent because the brokers had information that they did not share.
With the operative word being "reasonable.
" Civil trial, federal court there's no wiggle room.
I know.
Jury has to be unanimous.
Hey, you know that Bull wants to target Griffin Fuller, CEO of Brannigan Trust? He lawyered up as soon as Bull left his office.
'Cause he's got a lot on the line.
Third largest bank in the world.
5,700 branches, $2.
3 trillion in assets, over 72 million clients.
Well, 4,211 of those clients are victims.
Yeah, out $100 million.
Well, with the standard contingency fee, if we win, we win a third of the judgment.
A third? Minus our expenses.
Could also win millions in punitive damages.
This is exactly what got our victims into trouble.
The fantasy of a massive windfall.
- CHUNK: Fantasy sold to them - Well by a bank they trusted.
Okay, we are already way over budget.
We can't keep digging into reserves.
Fantasy of easy money.
These are the stockbrokers from Brannigan's Alternative Investment Division.
Were.
They all got pink-slipped when the division was shut down.
- Where are they now? - MARISSA: Telemarketing, sales, brokerage firms.
Wait, Sofia Dern pulled in nearly $750,000? Pump-and-dump was very good to her.
CABLE: Yeah, I know a little about the stock market, but my knowledge of a pump-and-dump doesn't go beyond that movie Boiler Room.
So how are we gonna explain that to a jury without the aid of a young Ben Affleck or Vin Diesel? Pump-and-dump fraud is as old as stock brokering itself.
There are three steps.
Step one: the buy.
Stockbrokers in Brannigan Trust purchased millions of dollars worth of stocks for themselves.
Then they got their clients to purchase the same stocks, on a massive scale.
You don't want to buy a stock.
No.
You want to buy a life, Jake.
The life you deserve.
Jake, this is your chance.
Buy that life.
Yes! Step two: the pump.
More and more people invested in this stock.
Let's call it Hagen Tool & Die.
That made the price skyrocket.
(cash register rings) A $2 stock was suddenly worth $10.
The clients were thrilled.
So were the brokers.
(excited chatter, cheering) ALL (chanting): Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug (chanting continues) (whooping, cheering) All right, let's hear it for Hagen Tool & Die closing in at 15 2/10! (cheering) Step three: the dump.
When the stock is worth many times what the brokers paid for their shares Sell! Sell! Yes, all of my shares.
Are you deaf? The sudden flood of supply made the stock value tank.
But the brokers had already cashed out tens of millions.
Yes! Oh, yes! (exhales) Meanwhile, the clients they lost everything.
The mock jury loved the presentation, but they still found for the bank.
The majority still think our clients were greedy or stupid or both.
Well, they haven't heard from Erin.
She'll present well.
Schoolteacher, smart, not out for money.
No, it's not enough.
We have to change the narrative entirely because this case is all about trust.
These investors trusted their bank.
They'd never give their money to some fly-by-night operation.
We could target jurors who are loyal to particular brands, people who understand why victims trusted the Brannigan name.
No, brand-loyal jurors will find for Brannigan.
They want to believe in their established institutions.
We want the opposite.
Disloyal jurors? People who aren't attached to specific brands.
People who know you can't just blindly rely on a name.
So people how keep their money under the mattress.
Yeah.
They shop in independent bookstores, and they eat at mom-and-pop diners.
(sighs) We want jurors who will accept that just because it's called Brannigan Trust doesn't mean it can be trusted.
Ah.
So what's this? Your hand.
It's a sign of uncertainty.
That's unlike you.
It's also an indicator of an itchy neck.
Hmm.
I hope it doesn't get any worse.
I'm sure it's just a bite.
I mean this trend of tardiness lately.
Sorry, I didn't even realize we had an early meeting.
That's good news.
Judge Vortuba is hearing the case.
That's not good news.
Uh, I thought you guys were buddies.
We were.
BAILIFF: All rise.
The Honorable Judge Robert Vortuba presiding.
Good morning, everyone.
Dr.
Bull.
Judge.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Uh, before we get started, I want to disclose that I keep some of my money in Brannigan Trust I don't think it's a conflict.
But in the interest of fairness, I'll entertain argument.
- (quietly): We need a new judge.
- Leave it.
He gave you the stink eye; that is not a good sign.
If you ask him to recuse himself, he'll turn you down, and then he'll hold it against you - for the rest of the trial.
- What did you do to him? Long story.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Any objections, Counselor? Uh, none whatsoever.
We're confident of Your Honor's ability to be fair and impartial.
We respectfully request that you recuse yourself.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Your request is duly noted and denied.
(clears throat) Your Honor, for the record, I have to state that this lawsuit is nothing more than a thinly veiled shakedown.
I think that's for the jury to decide.
Dr.
Bull, I wasn't aware you had a law degree.
No, still just the PhDs.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Oh, good.
Well, we're about to start voir dire, and I'm not going to allow anybody to manipulate my jury.
Isn't that the purpose of a trial? Lawyers try to influence the jury with facts and arguments? You'll be allowed back in the courtroom after we finish voir dire.
Uh, (clears throat) respectfully, I'd ask the court's indulgence.
Dr.
Bull is an integral part of the team.
I made my ruling.
Hmm.
Have fun.
Your Honor.
Counsel.
Benny did a good job in voir dire, but we have some problems.
BENNY: Bull could have been there to help, if he hadn't ran over the judge's dog.
- It was a cat, actually.
- Oh.
Very old.
I'm kidding.
I told you not to ask him to recuse himself.
BENNY: I made a judgment call.
That's what worries me.
Juror number one, Sienna White, she has a PhD in linguistics.
Works as a translator for the U.
N.
Hard worker, rule follower.
Bad for us.
She'll think our clients were looking to make a fast buck.
Juror number three is Larry Dane.
BENNY: He's a problem.
He'll think our clients are reckless.
But I ran out of strikes.
Well, don't fret, Benny.
We have a secret weapon.
4,211 clients, and we get to select which ones the jury will see.
- Shopping for witnesses.
Fun.
- Mm-hmm.
We get to pick the ones who appeal to each of our jurors.
We just need a star witness to lead off, someone with instant appeal to Sienna and Larry, someone to cement our narrative in their minds.
I will run all of our clients through the algorithm and narrow it down to 50.
Great.
Let's make a competition out of this, boiler-room style.
Everyone picks their favorite candidate and argues their case, and the mock jury will decide the winner.
Hmm.
And what's the prize? $5,000 bonus.
Why don't we just go with Erin? She brought us the case.
BULL: Her demeanor is too amenable, Benny.
The prosecution will make her out to be a novice investor, easily pressured.
They'll say she was coaxed into buying the stocks, but there was no fraud.
I'll-I'll prep her.
It'll be good for her to get hour story out.
She can give a victim impact statement after we win.
BENNY: Just give me a chance to see if the mock jury resonates with her.
Wow.
- You do have a type.
- Come on.
BULL: Okay, fine, in the spirit of competition, she is now officially your pick for the finals.
Prove me wrong.
These people should have met with their financial advisor before giving away their life savings.
Well, I've never met my financial advisor.
What You have a financial advisor? Yeah, he handles my portfolio.
She has a portfolio.
DANNY: How much money do you have? - None of your business.
- Ooh.
What are you invested in? Okay, if you must know, I put most of my money in aggressive S&P index funds.
You know, 'cause I'm young.
DANNY: Wait a minute, what else are you invested in? Medical marijuana.
MARISSA: Hmm.
Hmm.
- Uh-uh.
- DANNY: Huh.
Who is that? Uh, don't worry about it.
What You found someone.
- Why didn't you pick Erin? - I didn't have a chance.
Benny grabbed her up.
MARISSA: Benny, huh? What's going on there? CHUNK: You got me, but I'll still find someone to win this.
DANNY: In your dreams.
The five grand is mine.
Hey, hey, hey! (laughs) Snooze you lose! (laughs) BULL: Let the games begin.
Erin Howland, 32.
Single, teacher, fiscally responsible.
- And donates to charity.
- MARISSA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bring her home to your mom, not this jury.
My client, Nell, and juror number three, Larry, both have backgrounds in computer science.
Their analytical and forward-thinking mindset will ensure that Larry can relate to her.
CHUNK: You got Larry, but the other 11 jurors are gonna see Nell as nitpicky.
Hank? No.
Trustworthy, good eye contact and posture.
He looks arrogant and unapproachable.
He'll alienate our best jurors.
My victim has a strong social media presence.
He's opinionated, articulate.
- Sienna will love him.
- DANNY: Sienna will hate him.
Your client's a professional victim.
His Yelp posts are all complaints.
CABLE: Yeah, but they're funny unlike your client, who is blocked by every celebrity on Twitter.
Jasmine's background check was spotless not even a traffic ticket.
See what the promise of money did? Just like the stockbrokers, you exaggerated the positives and omitted the negatives.
And that is what our jury has to understand.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but who wins? BULL: No one, yet.
I want to see them after they've gone through witness prep.
(chuckles): Oh, well, I can do that.
I don't trust you.
Conflict of interest.
Well, you need someone to lead with.
Want to start with Erin? No.
Doesn't set the right tone.
Break it to her gently.
We might call you to the stand, just not as the first witness.
I started saving six years ago.
I had $19,000.
Half of it was my mother's.
She was helping me buy a new place so I don't have to commute an hour and a half to school each day.
My mom needs that money.
You can sit next to me at the plaintiff's table during the trial.
Did Bull okay you to offer Erin a seat at the table? What? You saw her.
It was damage control.
Where's Benny Colón? Oh, that's me.
You are? Sofia Dern.
Why the hell'd you send me a subpoena? (quietly): You sent her a subpoena? Bull must have sent it.
Well, uh, you were a broker at Brannigan Trust, which means you have relevant information.
You need to tell the jury what happened.
How much you gonna pay me? It doesn't work that way.
The SEC involved? - No one is charging you with a crime.
- Oh.
So I'm an expert witness.
You're lucky you're not at the defense table.
No money, no testimony.
If you don't show up, you will be subject to arrest.
(grabs papers) Our victims all feel like victims.
We need a predator right off the bat.
MARISSA: What you got to be kidding me.
No, jury's gonna love her, especially Sienna and Larry.
Whoa! Yeah.
We just found our star witness.
We empathize with those who lost money, but that's the nature of the market.
Mr.
Fuller is too much of a gentleman to say it, so I'll say it.
The plaintiffs are unwilling to accept the consequences of their decisions, and now they're seeking compensation from the deepest pockets.
Predictable, trying to paint our clients as greedy.
We're giving them plenty of ammunition by starting off with Sofia.
The jury'll see what our clients were up against.
Prep was a nightmare.
She doesn't want to testify.
Stick with the plan, play to her ego.
She won't be able to resist bragging about her conquests.
She's gonna help us prove the elements of fraud.
She is going to be uncooperative.
I'll have to treat her as a hostile witness.
Vortuba's not gonna let you ask leading questions, so don't do it.
What is it with you and that judge? He's not the problem.
I need her cooperative and not feeling forced; are you on board? Where is your star witness? Building anticipation for her testimony, no doubt.
Are all parties ready to proceed? The defense answers ready for trial.
- Mr.
Colón? - Yes, Your Honor.
Our first witness is not here yet.
I'd like to request an arrest warrant for failure to appear.
It is so ordered.
You have until the end of the day to find her, but the show must go on.
So we'll have a 30-minute recess, and then we'll hear opening statements and go right into witnesses.
SOFIA (recorded): You've reached Sofia Dern's office.
Straight to voice mail.
None of the other witnesses are ready to testify.
- Then stall.
- How? File a motion.
Argue a point of discovery.
You've done this before.
What Where are you going? Shop for a car.
Stall till I get back.
You don't have to come up with some bogus reason to stall and annoy the jury; put me on the stand.
Bull wants to see you in front of a mock jury first.
I'm ready.
Look, we haven't finished your prep.
Then let's finish it.
I'm a quick study.
No, we only have 30 minutes.
Have you ever worked with 11-year-olds? That's an eternity.
Silver Tempest, my favorite color.
You have good taste.
This is the sexiest car on the lot.
Well, I've been eyeing it for a while.
It's the perfect ride for people like us.
People like us? Someone who won't settle for anything but the best.
Am I wrong? Well, cars like this can be temperamental.
I don't want to spend my whole life in the shop.
Well, that is the best feature of them all.
It's a brand you can trust.
How about we take it for a spin? Why don't we? I trusted them.
I had no reason not to.
I'd been with Brannigan since I was a teenager.
My babysitting money was in there.
(quietly): This looks a lot easier when Bull does it.
ERIN: I've never fallen for anything like this.
Fool me once.
(chuckles) MARISSA (over earpiece): How's it going? Sienna's tilting her head.
It looks like she's warming to Erin.
I can relate.
Pretty much every teenage girl on the planet earned money babysitting.
Not me.
- Why not? - All my siblings were older.
They babysat me.
My parents made me come up with more creative ways to make money.
- Like hacking? - Maybe.
GLAUSTER: Years ago, Ms.
Howland, you donated to the Humanitarian Fund of America.
I think that was the name of it.
Uh, is there a point to this, Your Honor? Charity was a fraud.
Shut down by the IRS three years ago.
MARISSA: Wait, why did Erin not tell us that she'd been conned before? CHUNK: By the looks of it, she just found out.
It's not like we have a list of every charity she donated to.
We need to prove that her actions were reasonable.
Like Bull predicted, he's making her look uninformed, like she doesn't do her homework.
HFOA was a fraud? - Are you sure? - GLAUSTER: So I guess it's fool you twice, isn't it, Ms.
Howland? Objection! (chuckles nervously) We still have other witnesses.
How am I so gullible? Hey.
We all make mistakes.
Sometimes well-meaning, but still life-changing.
I recently had a case resurface.
I sent a man to prison for nine years for a crime he didn't commit.
So I know what you're dealing with.
Look, you are not a fool.
Okay? You are a kind and beautiful woman, whose kindness got taken advantage of.
Yeah? Yeah.
I bet you love the control.
Indescribable.
(chuckles) This isn't my normal route, but we're having fun, right? Right.
Why are we stopping here? What's going on? Well, that man has a warrant for your arrest.
You're supposed to appear in court and testify.
In fact, you have about five minutes.
If you hurry, you can make it.
What about my car? Oh, don't worry, it's in good hands.
I'll keep it warm for you.
Tell the truth.
Sofia Dern, come with me.
(chuckles) BENNY: Uh, Ms.
Dern, so you were one of the top stockbrokers at Brannigan Trust? Are you serious? I was the top earner.
BENNY: Which means what? You were making about $300,000 a year? Last year, I netted over $750,000.
BENNY: Did you disclose your own interest in the stocks to your clients? It was part of the pitch.
What about when you were planning to sell? Did you disclose that? Sometimes.
But I never said I would.
You used the name "Brannigan Trust" as bait.
Objection.
Leading.
Sustained.
BENNY: Would it surprise you to learn that you mentioned Brannigan Trust an average of seven times per call? You have to lead with your strongest suit.
MARISSA: Biometrics are telling me that even though we proved the elements of fraud, the mirrors for Sienna and Larry don't think they'd fall for her pitch.
They want more than the law requires.
They need to see it wasn't just fraudulent, but malicious as well.
(pen taps paper) Excuse me, Your Honor.
Were specific Brannigan clients targeted? We call them leads.
Oh.
People like Erin Howland and first-time investors.
Who else? Elderly clients near retirement, so we could pitch them on a last push into wealth before they have to dip into their savings.
BULL: Sienna's getting uncomfortable.
She thinks Sofia's deceptive.
But our projections indicate that six of our jurors won't hold their ground.
They'll cave to Larry within the first day of deliberations.
And these leads were they on a list? Yes.
And what was that list called? The Sucker's List.
BENNY: The Sucker's List landed on the jury.
Sofia's really going to help us.
Why'd you call Erin to the stand? You said stall.
Was anything I said unclear when we discussed this? I didn't think she'd sway the jury, and she didn't.
Now we need a new strategy.
- Why? - I I was in a jam.
You can't lie to me, - so don't try.
- Fine! Fine.
I thought she'd do better.
But come on.
We just started our attack, okay? - Sofia went well.
- Not well enough.
We need to call Fuller.
Brannigan's CEO? Mm-hmm.
If we call him, Glauster will get to cross-examine him with softball questions.
Let the defense call him to the stand.
We have to call him; otherwise, it'll look like we're afraid of what he has to say.
Worse, it'll look like he's a witness for the defense.
- He is.
- But it won't look that way if we call him as a witness for the prosecution.
He's smooth.
Expose him for who he is: a man who made $76 million last year, while his clients lost everything.
His company targeted these people and stole their money.
I need aggro-Benny.
Pit bull.
All right.
I hear you.
Do you? Yes! (door closes) Brannigan Trust has a long-standing tradition of excellence.
It's a respected institution, part of the fabric of so many lives.
We offer small business loans Eh, let's-let's focus on your Alternative Investment Division, where Sofia Dern worked.
Ms.
Dern is an overly aggressive salesperson.
- But your company hired her.
- And we fired her.
Because she was involved in a pump-and-dump supported by Brannigan Trust.
Objection.
Leading, compound and badgering.
Sustained, sustained and sustained.
Benny's invading Fuller's space.
MARISSA: Well, you said pit bull.
BENNY: Did you close the division? It was folded into another division.
It was a corporate decision made due to several factors, all in the best interest of our shareholders.
But not your clients.
- Is there a question coming? - BENNY: Yes, sure.
Here's one: Putting all the corporate babble aside, isn't it true that the division was nothing more than a boiler room in a high-rent office?! GLAUSTER: Objection! Sustained.
Last warning.
BULL: He's supposed to make Fuller look like the bully, not the other way around.
BENNY: The high volume and the timing of the sale clearly shows intent to defraud, don't you agree? FULLER: No, I don't.
Our brokers didn't sell penny stocks, which are what you normally associate with the boiler rooms you're talking about.
All stocks were listed on NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange.
More than 4,000 people lost their entire savings.
FULLER: And tens of thousands made money.
Now, I do feel for your clients, but in the same way that I feel for those who lose their savings in Vegas.
It's about personal responsibility.
You buried the fact that you targeted Erin, all of these victims, who were referred to as "suckers," because they were vulnerable.
GLAUSTER: Objection! Again, where's the question? JUDGE VORTUBA: Sustained.
BULL: Larry's checked out.
He's made up his mind, and it's not in our favor.
Your Honor, let me rephrase.
We've rephrased enough.
Sit down.
MARISSA: By the way, costs are double our initial estimate.
We'll make it back.
Well, if not, you may need to hit Fuller up for a loan.
BENNY: Hey, we should talk.
I-I know.
I didn't mean to look embarrassed in front of the jury, but I didn't know you were gonna call me out for being vulnerable.
It wasn't scripted, and I was a little out of control.
(exhales) That kiss should've never happened.
I know.
You're right.
Can't happen again.
It was unprofessional.
And fun.
(exhales) You are my client.
And you're going through a lot.
I don't want to take advantage of that.
Maybe you're the one who can't handle it.
Congratulations.
You could sell water to a whale.
Whales need water.
Thanks for taking care of my arrest warrant.
Thanks for your testimony.
So we're even.
- Yeah.
- I'll see you around.
I was hoping, uh, we could make one more deal.
(chuckles) I don't think so.
You might enjoy it.
Whatever it is, it'll cost you.
We have one juror who was not convinced by your testimony.
Oh, really? Mm.
Thinks he's immune to being sold.
You convince him that it's not just suckers who get scammed, you can name your price.
One provision.
You cannot, under any circumstances, discuss the case.
Because that would be tampering? Here's the way I think this works.
It's all about the approach.
At least, that's what they taught us at the FBI.
You know, one time I spent a month jogging on the same path as a target until it felt natural to introduce myself.
Sofia's on the accelerated plan.
She doesn't need him to get to turn state's witness.
All she needs to do is convince him that not only suckers get conned.
Didn't I see you in court? Yeah.
I'm Sofia.
Larry.
You're not gonna get that cake pop, are you? Oh, no.
Deferential.
Good first step.
Very appealing to Larry.
SOFIA: You know, it's so funny.
I get to stand up there and you get to hear all about me, but I don't get to know anything about you.
We won't get in trouble for talking, will we? - As long as we don't talk about the case.
- Oh.
I'm an accountant.
You know, I love numbers.
Finance is my passion.
Mint? BULL: Best way to solidify trust is to offer something.
If they accept and offer something in return, a bond has been formed.
Hmm.
My-my treat.
DANNY: And there it is.
BULL: And now he'll trust her no matter what she says.
There's a table.
Uh, sorry.
I have to be back in court.
Oh, no.
No, you don't.
Not yet.
- You have at least 15 minutes.
- Really? Yeah.
Judge.
Hello.
Ms.
Dern? Exactly what are you two doing? Uh, we're allowed to talk, aren't we? (chuckles): Oh.
Hey, Judge Vortuba.
That's not good.
Oh, don't give me that.
I know this was you, Bull.
I know it was you! Disgraceful.
More cheating.
I didn't, and I don't cheat, Judge.
And I can have you disbarred.
Your Honor, I had no idea Ms.
Dern was with one of the jurors.
GLAUSTER: Oh, their witness was clearly trying to influence him.
The defense moves for an immediate dismissal, with prejudice.
Do you have any proof that there was misconduct? I would be delighted to hear it.
Res ipsa loquitur.
It speaks for itself.
If I find a scintilla of proof that there was jury tampering Tuba, you know better than that.
BENNY: Now, the prudent thing to do is to have juror number three removed from the panel and replaced with an alternate.
You've got to be kidding me! You want to be rewarded for what you've done? Even absent any evidence that they discussed the case, or that his opinion was altered, you still have the option of removing the juror.
No, thank you, Your Honor.
JUDGE VORTUBA: Fine.
We'll move to closing arguments.
And you are barred from my courtroom.
(sighs) (door slams) Well, your plan was inventive.
I'll give you that.
Judge Vortuba hasn't been in a coffee shop in two years.
Today he decides to get his own beverage? Vortuba already hated us.
I'm worried about Larry.
We need a unanimous vote, and we humiliated him.
Total backfire.
Not necessarily.
True, he's embarrassed.
And he's gonna blame it on me.
As an unintended consequence, we almost got Larry booted.
All we have to do is spin this in our favor.
Bull.
(sighs) Our juror is angry.
We tried to trick him.
Tried.
To prove fraud, we don't need Larry to have fallen for this.
All we need is to show him he fell for Sofia, so he can still identify with our victims.
Feel the same thing: shame, then anger.
We got this, Benny.
These plaintiffs knew exactly what they were doing.
They played the market, and they lost.
So now they're suing the bank? (laughs) I mean, what next? Suing the lottery when you don't win the jackpot? That's not reasonable.
Investors have to take responsibility for their own decisions.
MARISSA: He's effective.
Sienna's mirror is wavering.
Being the victim of a scam is a frustrating and embarrassing experience, whether you fall for it or not.
That's no reason to blame the victim.
Blame the people who manipulated the system with target research and sophisticated marketing tools to con the people that they didn't think had the wherewithal to take on the system.
Brannigan Trust, a name we all thought we can trust, committed fraud simply by making the offer.
You don't have to buy into it to see it.
We proved it, their brokers admitted it.
Any reasonable person can see their misrepresentation of the facts.
They've been out for five hours.
Bull would say that's a good thing.
How much money did we spend on this trial? A lot.
Are we gonna be okay if we lose it? DANNY: What are you worried about? With your joint ventures and your bank accounts? I told you, I don't talk about personal finance at work.
MARISSA: Okay, we're fine.
- You have nothing to worry about.
- (phone vibrates) Jury's back.
What is it with you and this judge? TP his house or something? Chunk, no.
That's very juvenile.
Did you sleep with his wife? No.
He thinks I kicked my ball out of the rough.
It was just an acorn.
This is about golf? - Isn't everything? - Oh, man.
You cheated? I don't need to cheat with him.
Vortuba's eyes are failing.
He won't get checked.
That's what I think this is really about.
Maybe you can give him a session before this verdict.
- REPORTER: Here they come! - REPORTER 2: Can you tell us the verdict? REPORTER 3: Did they find in your favor? MAN: We won! Brannigan Trust is guilty! (people cheering, clamoring) Excuse me.
Hi.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
Thank you for everything.
Be careful with her.
What? No, no, no.
You got it all wrong.
We're not Looks like you are.
(laughs) I thought about it.
I wanted to.
Not the right time.
You tell Bull about the Hayden Watkins thing yet? Don't want to bother the boss with my little problems.
It's not little, Benny.
ERIN: (laughs) It's great.
I'm so happy.
Well, good.
You deserve it.
So I get my $19,000 back? And add a zero for punitive damages.
(chuckles) That's amazing.
Spend some of it on yourself.
And my mom.
And your mom.
But you should go out and get what you really want.
Buy yourself a house.
Cut down on that hour-long commute to school.
(laughs) BENNY: By the way, you never told me how you got Sofia to cooperate.
Easy.
She's transactional by nature.
Just had to come up with the right offer.
Luckily, I needed a new car.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Enjoy it.
Thanks.
Come on, I'll give you a lift home.
You want to tell me what's going on with you? It's nothing.
Well, it It's this thing with my co-op, and it's not even worth getting into.
So you'll tell me when you're ready.
It's nothing.
(sighs) Benny.
Yeah.
Get it together.
And I say hey, hey, hey, hey Living like we're renegades (sighs) Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey Living like we're renegades Renegades A wise man told me to go after what I want.
So here I am.
Renegades.