My friend has been scammed – looking for ideas

[Captain Disorderly]

 

I have a USA citizen friend who moved from the USA to retire here in Thailand . My friend has poor skills using a computer so I’m trying to assist him in any way I can . I thought I would post my friends story here in the hope that some one could offer some advice or suggestions that may in some way offer hope to my friend in recovering money ( property value ) that was stolen from him .

 

When my friend resided in the USA , he gave power of attorney to a Florida based Realtor ( estate agent ) to carry out several property transactions on his behalf due to my friend working overseas .

 

That Florida based Realtor stole property from my friend . The story about my friend being scammed by the Florida based Realtor was published in the USA on the US Observer web site. ( see link ) and in that article the Florida based Realtor admitted his wrongdoing .

 

 

Although the theft was carried out some years ago , my friend has been looking for ways to get back the money that was stolen from him . In the past he contacted several Florida based law attorneys , but those attorneys never really pursued the case . Since then my friend has been unsuccessful in finding a viable solution that would allow him to get back the money that was stolen from him by the Florida based Realtor .

Sadly my friend does not have the financial capacity to make a journey back to the USA, so he is trying to look for other solutions  . Personally to me the sad part about theft of property from my friend , is the fact that the Florida based Realtor who stole the property has publicly admitted his guilt in the published US Observer article .

 

Currently it does seem that the Florida based Realtor who stole the property has lost his realtor license , but is still operating in Florida.

 

Any suggestions or advice on how my friend could may be proceed and try to get back the money that was stolen from him . Are there any government institutions or other forms of assistance to help people like my friend who have been scammed

 

Any constructive thoughts on my friends above situation most welcome .

 

 

Thanks

 

My Friends article published in the USA Observer web site .

 

 

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[proton]

From the article it happened 15 years ago, why wait so long to do something about it?

[metisdead]

Not Thailand related, moved to the US & Canada Topics and Events forum. 

[Captain Disorderly]

35 minutes ago, proton said:

From the article it happened 15 years ago, why wait so long to do something about it?

Thats a good point , may be there's some sort of  statute of limitations that could come into play .

 

Just another thought , 

As my friend has so far been unsuccessful in getting back any money from the theft of his properties and as the Florida based Realtor has already publicly admitted his wrongdoing in the US Observer article , and if there is a statute of limitations in operation, I wonder if there may be   some way try and alert other potential clients relating to the Florida based Realtor’s past activities ( Admitted Theft of property ) .

 

  .

 

 

 

[EVENKEEL]

If he can't afford a plane ticket, how can he afford to pursue this.

[Captain Disorderly]

10 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

If he can't afford a plane ticket, how can he afford to pursue this.

Hi sorry I may have got that wrong  ????

 

 

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[ChrisP24]

If it were a viable case then a good attorney would take it on contingency, charging between 25% and 40% of the eventual recovery.  But after so much time I doubt there is a case, or an attorney who will take it.   

 

A quick google search indicates that the statute of limitations (SOL) in Florida is 4 years. 

 

I am not an attorney, however if the SOL can be overcome, my understanding is that a judgment for damages stemming from fraud cannot be discharged in bankruptcy so a judgment against the realtor could be pursued.  But scumbags who are no longer worried about their reputations can be so very good at evading these.  Your friend can save their stress by not expecting anything to move quickly, not expect and money at all (and if any comes it'll be an unexpected event).  But getting the judgment and having the attorney record it will show up in a background check of the perpetrator.   And eventually if the perp ever sells or refinances real estate in their name, they may have to deal with the judgment first, although after all this time your friend will be last in line after anyone else who has a judgment. 

 

But I think that ship has long ago sailed.  The time to act was within the SOL period. 

 

Sadly, it might be best for your friend's emotional health to just move on. 

 

 

[Captain Disorderly]

5 hours ago, ChrisP24 said:

If it were a viable case then a good attorney would take it on contingency, charging between 25% and 40% of the eventual recovery.  But after so much time I doubt there is a case, or an attorney who will take it.   

 

A quick google search indicates that the statute of limitations (SOL) in Florida is 4 years. 

 

I am not an attorney, however if the SOL can be overcome, my understanding is that a judgment for damages stemming from fraud cannot be discharged in bankruptcy so a judgment against the realtor could be pursued.  But scumbags who are no longer worried about their reputations can be so very good at evading these.  Your friend can save their stress by not expecting anything to move quickly, not expect and money at all (and if any comes it'll be an unexpected event).  But getting the judgment and having the attorney record it will show up in a background check of the perpetrator.   And eventually if the perp ever sells or refinances real estate in their name, they may have to deal with the judgment first, although after all this time your friend will be last in line after anyone else who has a judgment. 

 

But I think that ship has long ago sailed.  The time to act was within the SOL period. 

 

Sadly, it might be best for your friend's emotional health to just move on. 

 

 

Hi and thanks for your comment , its really appreciated . Like you say may be statute of limitations (SOL) in the Florida boat has all ready sailed . Just a thought ,  if it may look impracticable and my friend's chance of recovering the money that was stolen from him ( property value ) after all these past years , is a very slim chance  . I wonder if another option would be to in some way try to expose the Florida based Realtor’s past activities ( Admitted Theft of property ) , which would hopefully alert  other potential clients from being scammed in the same way as my friend.

 

Thanks

 

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[ChrisP24]

On 10/4/2023 at 1:27 AM, Captain Disorderly said:

Hi and thanks for your comment , its really appreciated . Like you say may be statute of limitations (SOL) in the Florida boat has all ready sailed . Just a thought ,  if it may look impracticable and my friend's chance of recovering the money that was stolen from him ( property value ) after all these past years , is a very slim chance  . I wonder if another option would be to in some way try to expose the Florida based Realtor’s past activities ( Admitted Theft of property ) , which would hopefully alert  other potential clients from being scammed in the same way as my friend.

 

Thanks

 

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You could check to see if the realtor is still licensed, and if so complain to whatever board licenses him.

 

Or just find review sites for whatever business he's doing now and post complaints with links to the article.