Redditor wants 'justice and clarity' after close friend sells his $10k watch, gambles away proceeds
A man says he got his close friend to sell a $10,000 watch for him, but lost everything when the friend gambled away the proceeds of the sale.
Now, he is asking Reddit for legal advice.
In a post made on Nov 23, @iishaqii said he once had "full trust" in the friend, whom he has known for eight years. "There were never any issues even with items worth a few thousand dollars. That is why I was comfortable letting him handle something as valuable as a 10k watch."
"This time everything went wrong," he lamented. "He kept the money and used it to gamble on illegal online sites. He lost all of it. I only found out after confronting him and he admitted it."
While iishaqii does not expect any of his money back — "He has no job, no stability, no discipline, and no education" — he is hoping for "justice and clarity".
"He has never shown the ability to work consistently. So I know that expecting him to repay through work or effort is not realistic. That is part of why I have decided to take the legal route."
Iishaqii added in a comment: "We went to the same secondary school. I've met his family countless times and for some weird reason I'm literally his lock screen wallpaper."
At press time, the post had received 379 upvotes and 104 comments.
'This kind of person, you're still willing to be friends'
In response, commenters generally agreed that getting his money back would be tough. Several criticised him for being too trusting.
"lmao no job, no money and no discipline. Well done giving him something of value to sell…" said one.
"OP is just one friendly phonecall [sic] away from getting his life savings taken by scammers," said another.
Yet another said: "This kind of person, you're still willing to be friends with? [sic] You in love with him or smth? [sic]"
One Redditor suggested offering the friend a payment plan: "Erm if you can't force him with your friendship to pay you back, neither can the law. He probably will need sit [sic] but if you want the money back I suggest mediation with him to get a payment plan."
Several told the original poster that he needed proof of ownership of the watch if he wanted to take legal action.
"If you handed him the watch and related documents without a paper trail, and he subsequently sold it and destroyed records, it becomes a case based solely on testimony," said one user. "The police may decline to send it to prosecution. Sit down with a case officer and file a report."
Some said it would be better to treat it as a lesson and move on. "I suggest you just blow it up on social Media [sic] so your other mutuals don't tio (Hokkien for being adversely affected) the same next time. Then cut him out from your life," said one.
Not all of the comments offered serious advice. "That's why I have no friends.... No one can cheat me," said one user in jest.
Stomp has contacted the original poster for comment.
