A shocking legal battle has unfolded, leaving a family devastated and a court in disbelief. Prepare to be captivated by this tale of forged wills and fake weddings, where a mother's tragic death sparked a bitter inheritance fight.
Kassy Sinar, a 46-year-old London cleaning company boss and devoted mother to her 16-year-old daughter Jocey, lost her battle with breast cancer in October 2023. In a heart-wrenching twist, her partner, Cengiz Arif, Jocey's father, attempted to seize her entire £500,000 estate, worth over £700,000 in total, by producing a forged will and claiming a secret marriage.
But here's where it gets controversial... Arif alleged that he and Kassy had married in Cyprus in 2006, a fact unknown to Kassy's close family, including her brother Ernest Sinar, who is now Jocey's legal guardian. Despite this claim, Arif had deserted Kassy as she lay on her deathbed, even flying abroad, and then proceeded to ban her relatives from attending her funeral in London.
Ernest, along with his wife Michelle, took legal action on behalf of the family, and a High Court judge ruled that both the marriage certificate and the 2023 will presented by Arif were forgeries. Chief Master Karen Shuman upheld Kassy's 2022 will, ensuring her entire fortune would be held in trust for her daughter Jocey, leaving Arif with nothing.
The judge also ordered Arif to pay the substantial costs of around £206,000 incurred by Ernest in fighting this case. Furthermore, Arif was stripped of his roles as executor of the 2022 will and trustee of the trust fund, and an injunction was issued, prohibiting him from dealing with or dissipating any of Kassy's properties or money.
The court heard that Kassy, originally from Manchester, had moved to London and bought a property in Kimberley Gardens, Finsbury Park. She had an on-off relationship with Arif, and Jocey was born in 2009. The couple split between 2011 and 2018, with Kassy reporting that the relationship was abusive and toxic, even refusing Arif's proposal of marriage.
Tragically, Kassy was diagnosed with breast cancer, and passed away in a hospice in October 2023. After her death, a bitter dispute erupted between her family and Arif. The family held their own memorial service for Kassy after Arif banned them from her cremation.
Arif then produced the supposed 2023 will, leaving all of Kassy's estate, including her London home and a property in Burnley worth £58,000, to himself. He also began taking the rental income from the Finsbury Park property.
Arif's claims that Kassy had drafted and signed a new will without informing her family or daughter, and that they had secretly married in 2006, were met with suspicion. The judge noted that Kassy's brother Ernest's enquiries with the Turkish authorities revealed that no wedding had taken place on the claimed date, and the named registrar was not working. The Turkish authorities confirmed that the marriage was not legally valid.
Moving on to the wills, the judge addressed Arif's claim that the 2022 will was invalid due to amendments made by Kassy after its initial drafting. However, the judge ruled that these alterations did not render the will void.
The judge found that the 2023 will produced by Arif was a fake, stating that his explanation for its preparation was preposterous and incredible. A handwriting expert testified that the signature on the will bore the hallmarks of someone else trying to copy Kassy's signature.
The judge concluded that the 2023 will was a forgery, and that Arif had committed fraud by presenting a forged will and marriage certificate. She pronounced in favor of the 2022 will, stating that Arif should be immediately removed as executor of the estate and trustee of the will trust.
The judge expressed deep concern over Arif's conduct, noting his lack of honesty and fidelity. She ordered his bank to disclose details of the rent payments and froze his ability to deal with Kassy's assets.
After the case, Verity Hudson from Ernest's solicitors, Rothley Law, expressed relief, stating, "This was a complex and emotional case that required careful investigation. We're delighted to have secured the right outcome for the family."
And this is the part most people miss... the impact of such cases on families. It's a reminder of the importance of honest communication and the potential consequences of hidden secrets.
What are your thoughts on this intricate web of lies and legal battles? Do you think the judge's ruling was fair, and what impact do you think this will have on the family's future? We'd love to hear your opinions in the comments below!
