Boyfriend Faked Will, Marriage to Steal Mother's Fortune

Cengiz Arif, partner of the late Kassy Sinar, has been found to have forged a will and a marriage certificate in a bid to inherit her £500,000 estate. Ms. Sinar, who passed away from breast cancer in October 2023 at the age of 46, had initially drafted a will leaving her entire fortune in trust for her 16-year-old daughter, Jocey.

Following Ms. Sinar's death, Mr. Arif presented a document he claimed was her true last will from May 2023, which purported to leave everything to him. He also falsely asserted that he and Ms. Sinar had secretly married in Cyprus in 2006. The court heard that their relationship was described as 'abusive and toxic,' and Mr. Arif had previously left Ms. Sinar on her deathbed to travel to Cyprus.

Ms. Sinar's brother, Ernest, and his wife Michelle, who are now Jocey's legal guardians, sued on the family's behalf. High Court judge Chief Master Karen Shuman ruled that both the purported marriage certificate and the 2023 will were forgeries. She upheld the original 2022 will, ensuring the estate benefits Ms. Sinar's daughter.

The judge also ordered Mr. Arif to pay approximately £206,000 in legal costs. He was removed as executor of the will and trustee of his daughter's trust fund. An injunction was placed to prevent him from accessing or dissipating any of the estate's assets. The court noted that Mr. Arif had pocketed rental income from Ms. Sinar's London property and that Turkish authorities confirmed the claimed marriage was not legally valid. A handwriting expert also indicated that the signature on the 2023 will was likely forged.