Cyprus-Forum.com

[miltiades]

Because of an ongoing lawsuit against my ex-bankers, in view of negligence that resulted in my arrest and being charged with 5 serious money laundering offenses, I have decided not to proceed further with this Real Life Story.

Suffice to say that I was charged and appeared in court where the prosecution based their entire case against me on the fact that having been told by the bank that the funds were clear I then asked that the telephone the remitting bank in order to verify the validity of the funds. This in it self was considered as SUSPECTING, in law "knowing or SUSPECTING" is an offense.
The entire case was based on my request that my bank carries our further checks.

The funds paid into our account were proceeds of a criminal activity perpetrated by the clients, in fact the money was stolen. and therefore receiving money knowing or SUSPECTING and questioning the validity of the funds is in it self a serious criminal offense.

My defense was that in view of the large sum of money involved I was merely carrying out security checks.

I had two trials each lasting a week, the first trial was inconclusive in that the Jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict, the retrial some 3 months later and also lasting a week produced a unanimous Non Guilty verdict.
Needless to say that had I been found guilty the minimum sentence per charge, five in total, would have have been a year per charge!!!

A harrowing and a stressful experience that taught me a lot, in short, anyone involved in business can find himself in the same situation, therefore if I rob a bank and walk over to the nearest car showroom and purchase a car using the proceeds of the bank robbery, that dealer would in fact be receiving stolen money, should he make a mistake and demand some proof that the money is mine then he in effect is "suspecting", as good as knowing.
The law is an ass, now I'm involved in an action against more than one entity.
That is all folks, remember when someone pays you money just check that the money is not a forgery, no further questions!!!

[miltiades]

I'm bringing this thread to life again, for a short while, I promise, just to relate an event that occurred yesterday .

Way back in early March I was about to complete the sale of my house when at the last moment the buyers pulled out.Disappointed as I was, it turned out a blessing in disguise since almost all of the proceeds of the sale were destined for my Laiki account in Limassol.

Well, this time round everything was, hopefully still is, set for completion next Thursday August 15th. Until yesterday that is when asked by the Estate agent to chase my solicitors for one tiny bit of information that the byuers solicitors were holding out for.

So I telephoned my solicitors, receptionist answered and I asked to speak to Mr... who was handling my case. In a meeting, she said, can you call back after 2 pm.

I did, and listened bewildered as a recorded message was played that XXXX and co. had been "intervened " by the SRA, which stands for Solicitors Regulatory Authority, and were no longer in business. !!

I took down the number given out on the recorded message and called up.

Confirmation that my solicitors, who were handling another case for me had....gone!!

I have never known that this could happen but apparently its becoming more and more regular!!

I have now hastily appointed another solicitor and trying to expedite release of my file from the SRA.

Doubt it if completion can take place as planned next Thursday, I'm wondering if this is an omen....
Perhaps my UK bank, destination of the proceeds, will ...close down!!!
Life goes on, and I wait....

[CBBB]

I'm bringing this thread to life again, for a short while, I promise, just to relate an event that occurred yesterday .

Way back in early March I was about to complete the sale of my house when at the last moment the buyers pulled out.Disappointed as I was, it turned out a blessing in disguise since almost all of the proceeds of the sale were destined for my Laiki account in Limassol.

Well, this time round everything was, hopefully still is, set for completion next Thursday August 15th. Until yesterday that is when asked by the Estate agent to chase my solicitors for one tiny bit of information that the byuers solicitors were holding out for.

So I telephoned my solicitors, receptionist answered and I asked to speak to Mr... who was handling my case. In a meeting, she said, can you call back after 2 pm.

I did, and listened bewildered as a recorded message was played that XXXX and co. had been "intervened " by the SRA, which stands for Solicitors Regulatory Authority, and were no longer in business. !!

I took down the number given out on the recorded message and called up.

Confirmation that my solicitors, who were handling another case for me had....gone!!

I have never known that this could happen but apparently its becoming more and more regular!!

I have now hastily appointed another solicitor and trying to expedite release of my file from the SRA.

Doubt it if completion can take place as planned next Thursday, I'm wondering if this is an omen....
Perhaps my UK bank, destination of the proceeds, will ...close down!!!
Life goes on, and I wait....

Hmm! Sounds a bit like all the complaints from people buying in Cyprus that go on about dodgy lawyers!

[B25]

Whaaaattttt! You mean the uk has bent lawyers? Never, i thought it was only in cyp that they were bent. Someone ought to post this to those other cyp hating fora that go on about dodgy lawyers in Cyp.

[GreekIslandGirl]

So all these dodgy dealings are happening in the best, least corrupt, most upstanding country in the world, Britain?

Shock! Horror!

Where's that blooming Cyprusgrumpy man who has nothing good to say about any Cyprus firms ....

(Miltiades, you are right to stay optimistic. The UK will eventually get its act together! )

[miltiades]

I must confess that the appropriate regulatory body, ie SRA, on contacting them they were extremely helpful. All files from my "intervened" solicitors are in their possession including of course my file.

Yesterday late afternoon an email an email arrived :

"I can confirm that I have had an opportunity to review the file relating to the sale of xxxxxxxxx Road and as such before being in the position to release the same to you I do first require a signed form of authority from yourself along with photographic identification. Please see attached letter for more information.

I further understand that you have appointed a new firm of solicitors in relation to this matter and as such when completing your form of authority you may wish to include their address details when stating where you wish for your file to be returned.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely "

I responded as requested and my file should now now be on its way to my new solicitors hopefully in time for completion as planned, a week today.

[supporttheunderdog]

So all these dodgy dealings are happening in the best, least corrupt, most upstanding country in the world, Britain?

Shock! Horror!

Where's that blooming Cyprusgrumpy man who has nothing good to say about any Cyprus firms ....

(Miltiades, you are right to stay optimistic. The UK will eventually get its act together! )

The difference is that UK seems to have an organisation that is prepared to deal with dodgy lawyers, which suggests that the UK with the SRA has its act together, unlike other places.

When you however have country where the AG intervenes to stop criminal prosecution against his family and /or a lawyer who racks up a whole host of speeding fines and is then let off, the problems in the double dealing in the property trade with gross conflicts of interest, cases of false documents being passed by lawyers being accepted by the Bar Councel as some sort of innocent mistake, etc. then perhaps that other country needs to rather more urgently get its act together.

[miltiades]

So all these dodgy dealings are happening in the best, least corrupt, most upstanding country in the world, Britain?

Shock! Horror!

Where's that blooming Cyprusgrumpy man who has nothing good to say about any Cyprus firms ....

(Miltiades, you are right to stay optimistic. The UK will eventually get its act together! )

The difference is that UK seems to have an organisation that is prepared to deal with dodgy lawyers, which suggests that the UK with the SRA has its act together, unlike other places.

When you however have country where the AG intervenes to stop criminal prosecution against his family and /or a lawyer who racks up a whole host of speeding fines and is then let off, the problems in the double dealing in the property trade with gross conflicts of interest, cases of false documents being passed by lawyers being accepted by the Bar Councel as some sort of innocent mistake, etc. then perhaps that other country needs to rather more urgently get its act together.

I posted the below earlier on on the northcyprusfreepress.com
Rather than retype it, I paste it .

"Our UK judicial system is not always perfect, but it is nevertheless structured on law , unlike in some countries where it is almost entirely based on who you know.

Law infringements and deviations from the letter of the law are understandable, NOT EXCUSABLE, in small nations such as the RoC where almost everyone knows everyone.

I have been involved in the purchase of 4 properties in Cyprus and I can only honestly say that I never experienced any problems.

Let me give an example. The purchase of my daughters house where the vendor had the semi built house mortgaged to the bank, his solicitor requested full payment so that the Banks charge would be satisfied to enable release of the deeds. Naturally I declined.

I visited his bank, deposited the full amount into a personal account and gave the bank my authority to remove the funds simultaneously the deeds were released to my solicitor.

I would NEVER pay money without the deeds available and an irrevocable undertaking by the bank or the deed holder that an exchange would take place the same time and the same date. Precisely what we do in the UK."

[supporttheunderdog]

A very fair comment. If a lawy firm in the UK was up to no good I am glad this has been detected and at the minimum the firm has gone out of business.

If аny individuals' acts were criminal then I hope they are prosecuted, and if found guilty, punished.

[GreekIslandGirl]

It doesn't matter whether you have ombudsmen and regulatory bodies. They're just more levels of potential corruption. Worse, they lull folks into a false sense of security ...