>The CEO is probably just having trouble dealing with stress and is acting out. It happens.

I agree it's not uncommon for first-time founders/CEOs to see phantom ghosts and lash out; however, we should be careful to not normalize that kind of behavior. Founders often hold mentorship or supervisory positions over their current and ex-employees, so it's harmful when they react with aggression and manipulation.

At small companies, that betrayal of trust cuts deeper than it does in more common manager-employee relationships, IMO.