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nubinite · May 18, 2014, 09:58 AM

Hello, am wondering if I can take a legal action on a friend who stole my funds from south Africa to the US, I need help

smoothy · May 18, 2014, 09:59 AM

How did they steal them? The means used to take them can make a difference in what actions can be taken.

ScottGem · May 18, 2014, 10:02 AM

If the funds were truly stolen, that's a criminal act. Did you report it to the police?

nubinite · May 18, 2014, 11:02 AM

Thanks for the feed back
Here is what happen Thanks for the quick response, I will do my best to tell you the whole situation. Am from Nigeria and I visit south Africa on business most times and I got interested in buying a house there so I discuss with my friend who stay there in south Africa and he helped me in buying the house but I had a little problem because I was a foreign I could not open an account over there and he had an account so I entrusted the funds with him so I told my friend tony to help keep the money believing that we could both come up with business ideals and the agents always give him the rent collected from the tenant because I kept the house on rent pending when I could have a permit in other to open an account(I was even thinking of buying a guest house if I had the money, I was doing this just to help my friend so he could make a living because whenever I visit I was always having to give him money which I did not like) during my visit last year because I was suspicious of so things and I asked he give about the money and he was giving me some excuses just for me to later find out that he is in the USA somewhere in Chicago trying to settle down and am even sure he maybe working or staying there illegal. I just need a professional advice on this matter because I want him to be brought to book. Thanks and my friend Tony is also from nigeria too

ScottGem · May 18, 2014, 11:26 AM

First, did you have any contract, anything in writing, that indicates you gave him money to buy a house for you? Was he giving you the rental at all? Was the house purchased? If so, who's on the title?

If I'm following you, you purchased the house and were planning to use the income for your friend Tony? But Tony is not the person who you gave money to.

nubinite · May 19, 2014, 04:29 AM

The house is mine and the title is on my name tony was just collecting the rents on my behave that's all

ScottGem · May 19, 2014, 06:47 AM

So what money was stolen? You gave some friend money to buy a house. Clearly the house was bought. So the money was used as purposed.

J_9 · May 19, 2014, 07:10 AM

So he is collecting the rent and not forwarding the monies to you?

nubinite · May 19, 2014, 07:16 AM

Yes he was not sending the money to me

J_9 · May 19, 2014, 07:17 AM

Did you have a contract with him?

AK lawyer · May 19, 2014, 07:19 AM

... I just need a professional advice on this matter because I want him to be brought to book. ...

You need a real professional. That would be an attorney in South Africa, not anonymous people on a site such as this. You should have done so before you invested your money, actually.

The story about not being able to open a bank account because you were not a South African national has scam written all over it.

nubinite · May 19, 2014, 07:26 AM

No I don't have any contact because he is refusing the tell me his where about but just lately I was told he is Chicago I just want to know if there is any way to take a legal action against him

J_9 · May 19, 2014, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by nubinite

No I don't have any contact because he is refusing the tell me his where about but just lately I was told he is Chicago I just want to know if there is any way to take a legal action against him

You need to contact an attorney.

talaniman · May 19, 2014, 07:31 AM

First step is to call the cops in SA and file charges for fraud. And in Nigeria.

nubinite · May 19, 2014, 07:33 AM

Okay I will do that but the problem is that he is not a citizen and am I sure he is stay there illegal

J_9 · May 19, 2014, 07:34 AM

The cops aren't going to do anything. Scams like this are common in Nigeria. The OP needs to contact an attorney who specializes in international law with a sub-specialty in fraud.

nubinite · May 19, 2014, 07:39 AM

Thank you very much for the reply but can you recommend one for me or beta still link me to a site where I can find such lawyer

J_9 · May 19, 2014, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by nubinite

Thank you very much for the reply but can you recommend one for me or beta still link me to a site where I can find such lawyer

Sorry, no. You will have to contact attorneys in your area of the world.

Let me ask you one or two questions. You say this is a friend. How well do you know him? Have you ever met him in person?

nubinite · May 19, 2014, 07:45 AM

Yes he is my friend and I have meet him just did everything by trust I guess he was not much of a friend

Fr_Chuck · May 19, 2014, 07:46 AM

The issue, you are not cheated on the house purchase, just the rent. How many months no payment ? Have you changed agents and now getting paid for the rental?

You need to file charges where the house is located. And if you can locate him, sue him in civil court.

But the costs of internatoinal law suits may cost more, than the little you are owed on the rent