Even though employer paid salary, it claims it was a joint-venture partnership

[productmanag]

Several months ago I started working on a startup project with a small company. The company has promised to give me a monthly salary (lower than market rate) plus 15% shares from the project as my compensation. However, the agreement was verbal and we didn't write a contract.

The company has paid me monthly salary for several months and my bank deposits have phrases like "February Salary" and "March Salary".

The company is now claiming that the contract was a joint-venture partnership that is failed and I need to pay 15% of all the costs.

I claim that this was an employment where I was offered 15% shares as part of my compensation.

They never gave me pay slips and never paid taxes as far as I know.

Can I legally prove that this was an employment contract and not a joint-venture contract?

[ULA]

Since you do not have a written contract you have nothing to prove your perspective that you were to be paid salary plus given 15% of the shares in the company but likewise they have nothing in writing to prove that you owe them 15% of all the costs.

You should be able to tell whether taxes were paid based on the salary paid in Feb and March.

I would ask them to prove why they believe is was a joint venture partnership.