The case of Optimil Machinery Inc. v Taylor, dated February 24, 2023, involved a former manager, Shane Leslie Braddick, who defrauded his employer, Optimil Machinery Inc., a family-owned business that designed and built machines for the sawmill industry. Braddick's scheme had cost Optimil approximately $3 million and had involved fraudulent purchase orders for industrial computer parts. Optimil had settled its claims against Braddick before the trial. The remaining defendants were Robert Lew Taylor and his companies, who had been suppliers to Optimil. Optimil had alleged that the Taylor Defendants had been active participants in Braddick's schemes. The court had found that Mr. Taylor had knowingly assisted Braddick's breach of fiduciary duties and had engaged in fraudulent activities. The court had apportioned 80% of the fault to Braddick and had ruled that Optimil was entitled to recover 20% of its losses from the Taylor Defendants. The court had also dismissed the Taylor Defendants' counterclaim for unpaid invoices. Another counterclaim against Braddick had been severed from the trial and had not been addressed in the judgment. The court had determined that the Taylor Defendants were liable to Optimil for damages totaling $713,600. The counterclaim filed by the Taylor Defendants had been dismissed. Optimil had been entitled to a judgment in the specified amount, along with court-ordered interest and costs to be determined by the Court.