He got a personal loan with a cosigner, for the amount($80K) the company said they would settle for, then last minute said they wouldn't settle for less than 3x's the amount taken. The amount taken by him, his girlfriend and her brother was around $125k. They are putting the whole amount on him if he wants to get a deal even though what he took was only around $25k. The first loan that was held in an account for negotiation has now been eaten up in fees by the first unscrupulous lawyer. I retained the new lawyer for him who had negotiated to $175k, but I don't think I can get an unsecured personal loan for that amount, and he is still making high payments on the first loan. I will look into it though, because my buddy is worth saving. I will try to consult the lawyer to see if we can sway them to accept an installment plan. Thank you for the suggestion.

The VA has been a mixed bag of experiences. I was once placed in an involuntary psych hold, just for mentioning that I had been suicidal myself, even though I wasn't actively at the time, but that experience sure made me feel much worse, especially with forced meds that weren't working, and led to another deeper downward spiral. Luckily, I now have a friend that is a nurse, and she knows how to get things done here. I hadn't thought of trying to get their help in court. I could also try to get a letter from some of the places he has been volunteering. Thank you for this suggestion as well.

It would be amazing if he can just get probation, and keep paying towards restitution. He deserves a second chance.