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the amount of $100,000 would remain in force. Also on May 16,
1984, petitioner and Burke agreed that, contingent upon the
successful completion of the Shaktoolik projects and sufficient
funds being available, Burke would receive a $100,000 bonus.
Neither on that date nor at any other time was any formal
corporate action ever taken to authorize the payment of a bonus
to petitioner.
On May 23, 1984, Burke died intestate of a ruptured aorta.
Burke was survived by his mother, Pauline Burke, adopted sons
Mark and Robert Thorpe, and his natural children Edward A. Burke,
Jr., Michael Thorpe, and Tina Vicnair.
Petitioner volunteered to serve, without compensation, as
counsel for Burke's estate. Petitioner successfully petitioned
for the appointment of Robert Thorpe (Thorpe) as the personal
representative of Burke's estate.
On the date of Burke's death, the Shaktoolik projects were
less than 10 percent complete. On May 28, 1984, petitioner, in
his capacity as sole remaining director of INI, authorized the
hiring of Art Ronimus (Ronimus) to supervise the completion of
the Shaktoolik projects.3 Petitioner also authorized INI to pay
all Burke's debts and charge these payments as advances to
petitioner for the purchase of Burke's stock. Petitioner caused
3 Ronimus is a professional engineer who had done design
work for Shaktoolik I and helped Burke prepare the bid for
Shaktoolik II.
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