You are told you will get paid on day 'x' so you write a check or three for day 'x'. But when 'x' comes you don't get YOUR money so checks start bouncing.
Many moon ago I worked for a HUGH company and come payday I'd go straight to the bank to cash my paycheck. Well, surprise -- there was no money in the account. A Manger was called over and I was told every week the Co floated a loan to cover payroll and the loan for that week hadn't went through yet. The Bank Manager had to approve my check, which he did. And we're talking BIG money about $250,000. every week. They had millions in receivables on the books but nobody wanted to pay.
In Commercial Construction the Contractor & Subcontractor plays Finance Co for the Owner or GC. And the lower you are on the ladder, the longer it takes to get YOUR MONEY.
So a $5K check is peanuts.
'Heck', it even happened to me, I was given a check, about $2,200 and asked to 'hold it' for a few days - which I did, I then deposited it. Well it bounced, my contractor didn't get his money on time. But no harm no foul, he gave me a new check a couple days later that was good.
In the example you gave, you and everyone else made good on the checks shortly thereafter. That is not the case with Ashjian. He still hasn't made good on any bounced checks, and it has been months.
Yet he thinks nothing of running for the Senate where he will be responsible for taxpayer money. Now, I could understand it if he were running as a Democrat. That would not been usual, but Ashjian has voiced disgust with both parties. He claims that neither are conservative enough for him!