The CEO did not intentionally mislead anyone. The CEO simply regarded Madsen's affiliate, who was doing the work described in the PR's, as the "auditor". Technically, they are not one in the same, but the CEO didn't know this. If anything it was a honest mistake.
Doesn't this explain everything? Solomon made a "honest" mistake. How honest, we will leave that up to Solomon. And I'm sure it wasn't the last mistake he made.