Tim Damiani stole millions from Ayson Kibar, promising a real estate investment and passports to the UK. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Harvard graduate wasting a fortune in casinos
A Harvard-educated lawyer swindled 2 million pounds ($2.4 million) from a Turkish-born woman, then blew money gambling in casinos.
She convinced Aysun Kibar to invest £1.5 million ($1.8 million) in a luxury home she’s never seen before.
Tim Damiani, 69, has persuaded Ayson Kibar to invest £1.5 million ($1.8 million) in a luxury home you’ve never seen before in Mayfair, an affluent area in west London, England. The property is now valued at £12.6 million ($14.9 million).
Southwark Crown Court recently heard that when Kibar demanded a return on the money she had “invested”, Damiani told her he did not know what she was talking about. It was extradited from Italy in 2020 at the request of the UK government and is still on trial.
Fake passports and property
Kibar comes from a wealthy family that owns the Turkish export company Kibar Holdings, where she serves on the board of directors. Attorney General Sophie Stannard has stated that she has an annual income of $300,000.
Kibar’s wife and Damiani grew up as close friends. They met in Turkey when they were thirteen years old and kept in touch in their adult lives.
As far as she was concerned they were her close friends and she had no reason not to trust them.”
“As I understood Mrs. Kibar, the accused came from a wealthy family and was very well connected,” said Stannard. He was a lawyer and went to Harvard. Mrs. Kibar visited Mr. Damiani and his wife in Milan (Italy), Switzerland and Cambridge (England) and as far as she is concerned they were good friends and she had no reason not to trust them.”
During a visit to England in 2016, Kipper mentioned that she was considering moving to the UK due to the instability in Turkey at the time. Damiani said he had experience obtaining British residency and would help her move for 300,000 pounds ($353,900), allegedly to cover the cost of passports for her and her two children.
Damiani also allegedly asked unverified contacts in Rome if they could issue passports for her entire family and returned with the £80,000 ($94,500) figure.
Then he tells her about the multi-million dollar Mayfair estate, which he persuades her to co-invest. He said that the Arab owner needs to sell the property quickly after a dispute with his mistress and they cannot do an internal matter. Inspection due to position paper.
Unmet request
Kibar transferred £1.5m into Daminai’s account on 29 September 2016. Her money never went towards the property, and she never received the passports she paid for.
“A few weeks passed and Ms. Kibar was concerned that she hadn’t heard anything about the passport or completing the property,” Stannard said. “Ms. Damiani did her own research and realized the drug was worth more than what was said and discovered that the drug was linked to Mr. Damiani’s brother.”
Less than two weeks after sending the transfer, Kibar sent an email requesting that the money be returned to her bank account. Damiani replied that she would have it in 2-3 days, but she didn’t keep her promise.
He tells the bank he has no idea what Kibar is talking about
In January 2017, Bank Keeper contacted Damiani’s attorney to inquire about the missing payment. Damiani tells the bank that he has no idea what Kibar is talking about and that she does, in fact, owe him money, having spent it gambling in the casinos.
“Mr. Damiani squandered Mrs. Kipper’s money and spent nearly half a million in casinos, gave £76,500 ($90,200) to his children, and never returned a penny to Mrs. Kipper,” Stannard said.
Damiani refutes three counts of fraud. His continuing trial is one of the largest cases in the English courts.
