





Robert Smith's admission to tax fraud has done more than just cost him a whopping $140 million. It's also roiled Vista Equity Partners, the private equity firm he founded and leads, with some insiders and limited partners feeling they were misled (or left in the dark) about the extent of Smith's legal troubles.
Behind the scenes: Smith called a virtual meeting of Vista's managing directors and other top staffers on Wednesday, to discuss details of his settlement. A source says he called the overall experience "humbling" and that he regretted the "undue burden" that his actions had put on others, including some Vista colleagues.
Smith also said that Brian Sheth, Vista's co-founder and president, is likely to be leaving Vista. Sheth himself was not on the call, and it does not appear that he was invited to participate.
Of note: Sheth did not return a request for comment, while a Vista spokesman also declined comment.
One of Smith's biggest internal challenges is a perception that he long underplayed the severity of the investigation — presenting it as a relatively minor accounting problem. Or not raising it at with certain limited partners, save perhaps for a minor data room mention.
The bottom line: Smith has settled with DOJ and the IRS, but the story isn't over yet.