Take Me Out South Africa producer and SABC debtor Archie Tigere was allegedly swindled out of R2.5-million by his lawyer a few months after he failed to pay the public broadcaster R800000.
The details emerged after Tigere filed a lawsuit against his attorney, a KwaZulu-Natal-based lawyer who represented him during his dispute with the KZN department of economic development over the final payment of R2.5-million of a R15-million sponsorship he had secured for his TV show.
According to Tigere's affidavit deposed in court and at the Midrand police station, the lawyer secured the release of the money from the department behind his back and kept the news to himself.
However, he said immediately after the money was deposited into his trust account, the lawyer, who was meant to represent him pro bono because he was privy to his financial troubles, chose not to inform him about the payment.
As a result, Tigere revealed that he lost out on a possible R50-million contract at the SABC because he still owed the broadcaster R800000.
According to the affidavit, the SABC had indicated that they wanted to commission two more seasons of his production at a price tag of R25-million per season.
Tigere said his lawyer kept the information from him for more than 12 months, hoping that he will give up on the money as there was a change of leadership at the department.
But, he said, he never threw in the towel and kept enquiring about the status of the dispute and payment until he got wind that his dispute was settled and millions owed to him were paid into his lawyer's trust account.
However, he told the court, his lawyer still denied receiving the funds and instead told him to forget about the money because the new leadership of the department did not want to entertain the matter.
What shocked him was that a few months after receiving the payment, his lawyer suddenly had money to invest in his production company, he said.
Tigere said his lawyer asked to be his partner in the business and promised to invest close to R1-million.
Tigere also accused the lawyer of fraud, claiming that the lawyer tried to hijack his company by removing him from legal records as a director.
He said the lawyer registered himself as the sole director and owner of his company and changed his residential address and replaced it with his business address.
Now Tigere is demanding an order that compels the lawyer to pay up an amount of R2.5-million, including interests of 12 months.
He also asked for an order that compels the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society to remove the lawyer from its roll and that he must also be stripped of his Fidelity Fund Certificate.
When contacted for comment, the lawyer denied stealing millions from Tigere and said what he withheld was what was owed to him by Tigere.
"I bought company shares from him and I only kept what was owed to me. He is crazy about all the stuff he is saying," he said.
SABC producer Archie Tigere 'swindled' out of R2.5m
Take Me Out South Africa producer and SABC debtor Archie Tigere was allegedly swindled out of R2.5-million by his lawyer a few months after he failed to pay the public broadcaster R800000.
The details emerged after Tigere filed a lawsuit against his attorney, a KwaZulu-Natal-based lawyer who represented him during his dispute with the KZN department of economic development over the final payment of R2.5-million of a R15-million sponsorship he had secured for his TV show.
According to Tigere's affidavit deposed in court and at the Midrand police station, the lawyer secured the release of the money from the department behind his back and kept the news to himself.
However, he said immediately after the money was deposited into his trust account, the lawyer, who was meant to represent him pro bono because he was privy to his financial troubles, chose not to inform him about the payment.
As a result, Tigere revealed that he lost out on a possible R50-million contract at the SABC because he still owed the broadcaster R800000.
According to the affidavit, the SABC had indicated that they wanted to commission two more seasons of his production at a price tag of R25-million per season.
Tigere said his lawyer kept the information from him for more than 12 months, hoping that he will give up on the money as there was a change of leadership at the department.
But, he said, he never threw in the towel and kept enquiring about the status of the dispute and payment until he got wind that his dispute was settled and millions owed to him were paid into his lawyer's trust account.
However, he told the court, his lawyer still denied receiving the funds and instead told him to forget about the money because the new leadership of the department did not want to entertain the matter.
What shocked him was that a few months after receiving the payment, his lawyer suddenly had money to invest in his production company, he said.
Tigere said his lawyer asked to be his partner in the business and promised to invest close to R1-million.
Tigere also accused the lawyer of fraud, claiming that the lawyer tried to hijack his company by removing him from legal records as a director.
He said the lawyer registered himself as the sole director and owner of his company and changed his residential address and replaced it with his business address.
Now Tigere is demanding an order that compels the lawyer to pay up an amount of R2.5-million, including interests of 12 months.
He also asked for an order that compels the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society to remove the lawyer from its roll and that he must also be stripped of his Fidelity Fund Certificate.
When contacted for comment, the lawyer denied stealing millions from Tigere and said what he withheld was what was owed to him by Tigere.
"I bought company shares from him and I only kept what was owed to me. He is crazy about all the stuff he is saying," he said.
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