Palm Beach County, FL – On August 27, 2025, a Florida jury awarded $535 million to the Estate of Turkish billionaire Dr. Mehmet Salih Tatlici in a significant international estate dispute. The verdict was secured by attorneys Jeremy Friedman, Craig Downs, and David Durkee of The Downs Law Group, a Coconut Grove-based firm known for handling complex, high-stakes litigation.
This ruling is among the largest jury verdicts in Florida for an individual plaintiff in recent years and underscores how U.S. courts, and particularly those in the State of Florida, are increasingly at the center of cross-border estate battles and international asset conversion claims.
A Legal Battle Spanning Borders
The Tatlici estate, valued at more than $3 billion, includes high-profile assets such as Istanbul’s iconic Tat Towers, hundreds of properties across Turkey, and luxury real estate in Florida, including a Boca Raton mansion, an office building, and vacant land.
At the heart of the case were claims that heirs Ugur and Nurten Tatlici unlawfully converted hundreds of millions of dollars from Swiss accounts that were intended to fund distributions under the Will of Dr. Mehmet Salih Tatlici. Additional claims involved Nurten Tatlici’s failure to repay the estate for Florida properties, a violation rooted in Turkish inheritance law.
Second Trial, Higher Stakes
This case was not the estate’s first time before a jury.
- 2022 First Trial: A Florida jury awarded $623,000 for fraudulent transfer, but the court directed a verdict against the estate for conversion and dismissed contribution claims.
- Appeal: The appellate court reversed the directed verdict and ordered a second trial to occur as to damages regarding conversion and contribution.
- 2025 Verdict: In the recent trial the jury found in favor of the Estate, awarding $525 million in conversion damages against Ugur and Nurten Tatlici, plus an additional $10 million as to damages for contribution against Nurten Tatlici, totaling $535 million.
With one of the largest recent jury awards in Florida, the case raises the bar for conversion and contribution claims tied to estate disputes and cross-border transactions.
The Lawyers Behind the Victory
The Estate of Mehmet Salih Tatlici was represented by:
Attorneys of The Downs Law Group, a Miami-based firm with deep experience in mass torts, commercial litigation, probate litigation, and high-value civil disputes.
The defendants, Ugur and Nurten Tatlici, were represented by Jorge L. Piedra, Clayton J. Schmitt, Cameron Moody of Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, and Steven Goerke of the McRae Law Firm.
About The Downs Law Group
Based in Coconut Grove, Florida, The Downs Law Group is nationally recognized for representing clients in complex litigation, including international estate disputes, mass torts, environmental contamination, and high-value civil claims. Our attorneys are committed to pursuing justice in the most challenging legal battles.
If you are facing a cross-border estate dispute or a complex international legal matter, contact The Downs Law Group today for a confidential consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is the $535 million verdict in the Tatlici case significant?
This verdict is one of the largest awarded to an individual plaintiff in Florida in recent years. It highlights how U.S. courts handle complex cross-border estate disputes involving billions in assets, multiple heirs, and competing international laws.
2. What assets were at the center of the dispute?
The Tatlici estate is valued at more than $3 billion. Key assets include Istanbul’s landmark Tat Towers, hundreds of properties throughout Turkey, and luxury Florida real estate such as a Boca Raton mansion, a Boca Raton office building, and vacant land in Boca Raton. The verdict paves the way for the monies that were taken from the decedent’s estate to increase its value and the overall distribution to the heirs.
3. How did Turkish inheritance law play a role in a U.S. trial?
While the case was tried in Florida, some obligations under Turkish law—such as repayment to the estate for certain properties—were central to the claims. This required the jury to consider evidence and arguments in relation to both Florida law and the Turkish law. It demonstrates the growing interplay between international legal systems when wealth crosses borders.
4. Who represented the parties in this case?
The Estate of Mehmet Salih Tatlici was represented by Jeremy Friedman, Craig Downs, and David Durkee of The Downs Law Group in Coconut Grove, Florida. The defendants, Ugur and Nurten Tatlici, were represented by attorneys from Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton and the McRae Law Firm.