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Shocking Case of Deception by Well-Known Lawyer - Swindled Around 15,000 Euros from a Family Who Lost Their Home
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท Greece /Crime & Justice

Shocking Case of Deception by Well-Known Lawyer - Swindled Around 15,000 Euros from a Family Who Lost Their Home

From Ta Nea · (43m ago) Greek Critical tone

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A lawyer in Athens is accused of defrauding a family out of approximately 15,000 euros, leading to the loss of their home.
  • The family claims the lawyer failed to take necessary actions regarding a settlement, resulting in their house being auctioned.
  • The family has filed a complaint with the Athens Bar Association and intends to press criminal charges for fraud.

A shocking case of alleged fraud has emerged in Athens, involving a lawyer who is accused of betraying the trust of a family by orchestrating the loss of their home. The victim, a 59-year-old woman, recounts a distressing series of events where she believed she was diligently following her lawyer's advice, only to find her house auctioned off. The lawyer, a member of the Athens Bar Association, allegedly failed to execute crucial legal steps related to a settlement, leaving the family vulnerable to foreclosure.

She told me, 'I will put you under the Katselis law. We will have the court hearing and the auction will end.' I was giving her the money, she asked me for 3,000. I gave it to her. I initially gave her the money for the out-of-court settlement. Then I gave her the money for the appeals. Which amounts were around 800s.

โ€” VictimDescribing the payments made to the lawyer and the assurances received.

The narrative presented by the victim is one of manipulation and broken promises. She describes handing over significant sums, totaling around 15,000 euros, for various legal procedures, including payments for an out-of-court settlement and subsequent court appeals. Despite these payments, the lawyer allegedly provided assurances that the home was secure, even claiming a notary's system error allowed the sale. The family was ultimately evicted, with their belongings placed in storage, leaving them homeless and deeply distressed.

On September 2, she brings me a paper that the house was sold. She comes, takes the papers, tells me 'the notary left the system open and it was sold.' I must have given around 15,000 euros by this time. Until November 11, when they kicked me out of the house, she told me 'no one is going to move me,' that she wouldn't give them the keys. In the end, everything happened the opposite.

โ€” VictimRecounting the moment she discovered her house had been sold and the lawyer's final assurances.

This incident has understandably shaken the family, leading to severe anxiety and panic attacks, particularly for the victim and her parents. They have taken action by lodging a formal complaint against the lawyer with the Athens Bar Association, seeking disciplinary measures. Furthermore, they are preparing to file criminal charges for aggravated fraud, aiming to achieve justice and recover the substantial financial losses incurred. The case highlights the critical importance of transparency and accountability within the legal profession, especially when vulnerable individuals place their faith and assets in the hands of legal representatives.

When I started pushing her, she would attack me. It was supposed to be an hour until we got back in after they threw us out of the house. Suddenly the judge got COVID and has kidney failure. But another judge took over and we would finish in two weeks. So when those two weeks passed, I started demanding my papers back.

โ€” VictimExplaining the escalating situation and her attempts to retrieve her legal documents.
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Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.