14.02.2025 13:31
In Izmir, expatriate Abdulkadir Balım sought help from a relative who is a lawyer after he was unable to collect the 140,000 euros he lent to two brothers in Germany. The lawyer, who said, "I won't charge you a fee; we are relatives," later stated that Balım needed to make payments for the case and collected money from him several times. Claiming to have suffered a total financial loss of 220,000 euros, the expatriate filed a complaint, alleging that the lawyer had reached an agreement with his debtors.
Abdulkadir Balım (57), a retired worker living in the Karşıyaka district of İzmir, allegedly lent 140,000 euros to two brothers who were his work colleagues during his time in Germany and received a promissory note in return. Unable to collect his debt from the brothers, Balım then turned to his close relative, lawyer I.Y.
"HE RECEIVED MONEY SAYING 'PAYMENT FOR THE LAWSUIT'"
After receiving the promissory note, the lawyer first asked Balım to pay a security deposit. Later, he stated at different times that he needed to make payments for the lawsuit. After this situation continued for several years, Balım realized he had been defrauded when a friend warned him. Abdulkadir Balım claimed that the two brothers he lent money to and the lawyer I.Y. he agreed to work with were in collusion, resulting in a total loss of 220,000 euros. He later filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office and now seeks justice.
"HE SAID 'I WON'T CHARGE YOU, WE ARE RELATIVES'"
Describing the incident, Abdulkadir Balım said, "I lent 140,000 euros to two brothers who were my work colleagues in Germany. They did not pay me back. So, in 2016, I turned to a lawyer who is my relative to recover the money. The lawyer told me, 'I will collect the money, I won't charge you. We are relatives.' Three days after taking the promissory note from me, he asked for 14,000 euros, saying there was a 14% security deposit. I gave it to him. Three days later, he called again and said, 'The judge did not accept this amount, I need 5% more.' I gave him that money too. Then he called me and said, 'The judge took the money and ran away, he is after this money.'
"HE TOOK MONEY FROM MY CREDITORS AND GAVE LAND IN RETURN"
Balım stated, "Then he put this promissory note into enforcement for a while. He took different amounts of money from the people I was owed money by and gave them land in return. I had no knowledge of these events. Both parties made an agreement among themselves. Then he closed the case and ended the matter," he said.
"MY TOTAL LOSS IS 220,000 EUROS"
Expressing that the lost money represents 35 years of hard work, Balım said, "For a while, I was unaware of the situation. Then he asked me for money again for various reasons to conclude the case. Until 2023, he took 7,000 euros from me. My total loss, including legal interest, is 220,000 euros."
HE FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
Balım stated that he realized he had been defrauded after a friend warned him, saying, "There must be a conscience in a person. This lawyer is my close relative. That's why I trusted him. He threatened me. He said he would give me a promissory note, that he would only receive a disciplinary penalty, and that nothing else would happen to him. When he offered the promissory note, I had to accept it. When the promissory note's due date came, he did not pay. Time passed, and I could not get my money. I filed a criminal complaint against both my creditors and my lawyer," he stated. Emphasizing his trust in the Turkish justice system, Balım expressed his desire for the individuals he lent money to and the lawyer to be punished. Finally, Balım warned expatriates to be very careful in such matters.
"HE TOLD MY CLIENT 'THE JUDGE TOOK THE MONEY AND RAN'"
Lawyer Ahmet Altun, providing information about the lawsuit process, stated, "My client gave power of attorney to a lawyer he trusted in 2016 to collect his debts. During this search for a lawyer, he made an agreement with a lawyer who is his relative. Unfortunately, this lawyer abused my client's trust, conducted unlawful actions regarding his case, and caused my client to suffer significant harm. My client gave the lawyer a promissory note worth 140,000 euros to be collected. Throughout the process, my client was first asked for a security deposit and then for different amounts of money. After this money was taken by the lawyer, false statements were made, saying 'The judge took the money and ran.' There was no follow-up with my client. Money was collected from my client without his knowledge, the case was withdrawn, and the seizures were lifted. Regarding the remaining amount, the enforcement file was closed without obtaining my client's approval. All of this process was conducted unlawfully. Despite the case being closed in 2018, money continued to be taken from my client for various excuses until 2023. The fate of this collected money is unknown. We have initiated legal proceedings. We filed a criminal complaint and collected the necessary evidence," he stated. Altun finally warned citizens to thoroughly research the lawyers they give power of attorney to and to understand what the powers granted in the power of attorney document encompass.