Deanna Coleman was almost caught making secret recordings by a weeping Tom Petters. One recording made by Coleman reveals that Petters began to cry as he talked about the pressure of trying to keep up with the investors who wanted their money back. As he cries he tries to hug her and she can be heard saying, "No, hugging Tom, no hugging, no." She then goes on to tell him her back is really hurting her.

She testified the real reason she did not want him hugging her is that she was scared he would detect the recording device hidden in her back. Petters went on to tell her that a chiropractor would be visiting the office later that week.