Selcuk Karatas

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Selcuk Karatas, a partner and conveyancer at Stuart Karatas, was found to have engaged in systematic teeming and lading, making unauthorised transfers between client ledgers, taking unauthorised costs, failing to pay £6,009 client money into client account (instead into his personal account), and using a forged authority document to facilitate a £5,000 transfer. He left for Turkey at the time of the SRA investigation and severed contact. The Tribunal found all allegations proved including dishonesty under the Twinsectra test (though it could not find that he himself forged the signature, it found he used the forged instrument). With no exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered costs of £33,099.95.

Duties found breached:

• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Integrity
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money

Aggravating factors:

• Large amounts involved (minimum cash shortfall of £148,475; overbilling totalling £47,534.58)
• Number of clients affected
• Respondent's lack of participation in putting matters right
• Deliberate and repeated conduct
• Concealment a central feature - careful planning and execution involving teeming and lading
• Breach of trust involving partners and clients