Returning money to family of friend who died has been a "nightmare"

Monday 12 February 2024

An islander is calling for measures to be put in place to ensure that the family of people who pass away unexpectedly can access their money following the five-month "nightmare" she faced after her friend's sudden death.

Ketevani Kasrashvili, known as Katie, was found dead near La Haule slip in St Brelade on the morning of 15 September 2023.

Katie, who moved to the island from her native Georgia in summer 2022, had hoped to make Jersey her "forever home".

Described by friends as "a very loving and fun person", the 30-year-old died just a day after socialising and enjoying the Jersey International Air Display.

Pictured: Katie Kasrashvili moved to Jersey from her native Georgia in summer 2022.

Katie's friend Stacey Camps said her sudden death was a "massive shock" to her friends and "devastated" family.

Stacey has since been trying to help Katie's family – who live in Georgia and speak very little English – to access the money in her Jersey-based bank accounts.

However, she said that the process had been an "absolute nightmare" and, five months later, Katie's family are no closer to getting her money back.

Pictured: Stacey Camps (left) and with her friend Katie Kasrashvili (right) the day before she passed away.

Stacey said: "We have tried everything, including the online applications through the bereavement team, but Katie's family don't speak good English and struggle with technology to finalise everything themselves."

She explained how she has been passed between Katie's bank, the Government, the States Greffe, and Jersey Financial Services – but had found that "no one can help".

"It's been so tough," said Stacey. "Her family don't have much money. They really deserve to have her money back."

Pictured: Katie (right) and her family in their native Georgia, a transcontinental country located between Russia and Turkey.

Stacey now wants to raise awareness of the difficulties that she has faced during this process.

"When you're 30 years old, you don't think about writing a will," said Stacey. "You don't think something like this will happen at such a young age."

She explained that Katie's family cannot afford to fly over to Jersey, speak very little English, and struggle to use technology to fill out online forms – all of which is made harder by the four-hour time difference between Jersey and Georgia.

Stacey has had to personally arrange a translator in Georgia to help her communicate with Katie's family, and has fundraised and paid for aspects of the process out of her own pocket.

"If you haven't got any money, what are you supposed to do?" she asked.

Stacey added that she also has no idea how much money is in Katie's account.

"It could be a life-changing amount for her family," she said.

Pictured: Stacey took to social media to ask for help after she spent five months unsuccessfully trying to get Katie's money returned to her family.

Stacey said: "With so many expats coming over to the island to work, there surely should be some kind of waiver in place [to ensure their family can access Jersey-based bank accounts] before something like this happens.

"I can't believe there's not a 'next of kin' in place... anything could happen. We need to make sure that people who come to the island are well looked after."

She explained that, since sharing Katie's story on social media, she has been contacted by other people in Jersey who are in a similar situation.

"Some people said they've been trying for years and still haven't got the money out," she said.

Pictured: Katie (right), Stacey (centre) and Stacey's fiancé, Chris Tilston (left).

Stacey described the last five months as an "absolute nightmare" which has left her unable to move on from her best friend's death.

"I can't close the book, I can't move on from this – there's a reminder every time I have to make another phone call about this," she said.

An inquest into Katie's death was opened and subsequently adjourned on Wednesday 28 September.

Police confirmed that her death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.