Victims' anger at compensation delay

VICTIMS of Graham Templeton's €2m Dordogne fraud are still waiting for Société Générale to come up with an improved offer of compensation for its alleged role in letting the scam happen.

The bank has so far offered victims a payment of a third of the money they lost. Lawyer Dominique Assier represents the group of eight original claimants against the bank and they have now been joined by another victim who had been conducting a separate action.

Victims say Société Générale should not have made it possible for Templeton to pay cheques made out to the bank into his own personal account.

Jerry Shively, a retired US businessman who lost €800,000, said it was frustrating that the victims had not received any money while proceeds from the sale of Templeton’s chateau went to the taxman. “How exactly the government can tax income that was illegally obtained I’m not sure,” he said.

“At this rate we victims are all going to die before we achieve a satisfactory outcome. It’s remarkable it’s taken this many years for what should be a simple procedure.”

He said their only hope of getting their money back was a settlement from the Société Générale.

Pensioner Bill Sargison, 87, and his wife Joan lost £110,000 in the fraud scam. He said “somebody got a good deal” buying Templeton’s six-bedroom chateau in the Dordogne for just €350,000.

“That money was claimed by the fisc – and we’ve had nothing. The whole thing seems farcical,” he added.

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