Two years ago, a series of odd billboards greeted passers-by in New York, Atlanta, and the San Francisco Bay Area. They showed a cuddling, smiling couple under the title "Charles & YaVaughnie" and listed a website documenting the couple's romance. Research only deepened the mystery: The man was an Oracle president and already married - and not to the woman on the outdoor ad.

Technology seemed especially relevant in 2010, what with The Social Network's blockbuster receipts and mass mania for Apple's iPad and iPhone 4. The newfound attention helped turned some techies into genuine stars — while lending others real worldwide infamy.

Oracle co-president Charles Phillips—the subject of an ex-mistress's embarrassing billboard campaign—has left the computing giant. But Oracle will maintain its "scandalous co-presidents" quota: It's hired former HP CEO Mark Hurd, who was just fired—thanks to a Playboy model.

Charles Phillips is leaving the board at Morgan Stanley after four years. Chalk up a win for YaVaughnie Wiliams, the mistress—and ex Morgan Stanley intern—who used billboards to expose her eight-year affair with the executive.

Charles Phillips was just humiliated in billboards across the country for two-timing a wife and eight-year girlfriend. His marriage is ending. But the Oracle co-president had a big merger to close today, so cue the horribly awkward humor.

Vengenance-by-billboard artist YaVaughnie Wilkins hasn't said anything about her best-jilted-lover-revenge-plot-ever, but we've discovered one good reason she might be pissed at Charles Phillips: She had to give up this $11 million estate along with her tech titan boyfriend.

The Mystery of the "Charles & YaVaughnie" Billboards continues to unfold: Tonight, Oracle exec Charles Phillips admitted to having an 8 1/2 year "serious relationship" with YaVaughnie Wilkins, the billboard woman. But the mystery of his marriage only deepens.

Here's how those "Charles & YaVaughnie" billboards came to be, according to people the couple spoke to: Charles was publicly sucking up to his wife, while mistress YaVaughnie was busy launching an incriminating online photo album. Spurned lover, much?

Return to The Charles & YaVaughnie Billboard Chronicles

An Oracle executive has been pledging himself to his "soulmate" on romantic billboards across the country. But it's not clear the gentleman approves; after all, the lady he's cuddling up to on the signs is not his wife.

Those "Charles & YaVaughnie" billboards around New York belong to the co-president of software company Oracle, Charles Phillips. Did living in the shadow of Oracle's high-profile CEO Larry Ellison leave Phillips hungry for attention?

This billboard went up near Times Square recently. It shows Charles Phillips and YaVaughnie Wilkins—a couple of ordinary people—and directs you to visit their website, which is full of photos of them. Why?

Oracle co-President Charles Phillips reportedly made $19M in fiscal 2007 through salary and stock compensation, making him "one of the highest-paid non-CEO executives in Silicon Valley." [InformationWeek]