[Tango-A] Public Complaint against Burak Oskosem's unethical business practices in the tango community

[Nina Tatarowicz]

Dear list members,

I just read Meredith and Andres's post and their complaint against  
Burak Oskosem.  I too participated in teaching at Burak's Tango Joven  
Festival in Chicago in 2006, and despite repeated requests for  
payment, like Meredith and Andres, I have not seen the money owed to  
me for my services.

Unfortunately, the stories do not stop here.

My good friends Mariana Dragone and Fabrizio Forte have also been  
waiting payment for tango workshops they gave under Burak's  
organization in Minneapolis back in October of 2005!  They have  
contacted him relentlessly, and I have approached him numerous times  
as well on their behalf, but to no avail.

Before I came to see this side of Burak's character, I signed a lease  
with him to share a dance studio space in Chicago.  But due to  
Burak's deceptive behavior and fraudulent actions to cover up his  
financial woes, I have now been forced out of this space that he  
neglected to pay his share of.

I agree with Meredith and Andres:  it is a slap in the face to see  
that Burak is planning more projects when he still has not paid what  
he owes for his past ones.  And it is troublesome to think that other  
teachers/dancers may be putting themselves at risk unknowingly.  It  
is for this reason that I think it is important to let the list know  
of Burak's unethical business practices.  Maybe this will save  
another teacher/dancer from the same financial losses, and motivate  
Burak to settle up with his debts in the meantime to clear his name.

If you have not read Meredith and Andres's story, I have pasted it  
below.

Sincerely,
Nina Tatarowicz
www.tangoelixir.com
ninatanguera at gmail.com



Dear list,

I'm writing to ask that no one on this list support any of Burak
Ozkosem's events.  I am very sorry to have to do this, but I've run
out of options.  Andres Amarilla and I taught at Burak's TangoJoven
festival in early July 2007 and we still have not been paid, although
we fulfilled all the terms of our agreement.  Burak was obviously
pleased with our work as he immediately invited us back to teach at
the next TangoJoven festival.

Not only did we dedicate 5 days of work to Burak's festival, but we
put out money up front for our plane tickets--money that we still have
not been reimbursed 9 months later.

The initial check that Burak gave us bounced and despite at least 5
requests for payment, we have received nothing.  More than 2 months
ago, I emailed Burak to let him know that we were running out of
patience and would be forced to make our problem public through a
tango-L post if we did not receive prompt payment.  However, at this
point, nearly 9 months after the end of the festival, we still have
not received any payment.

I am very concerned because Burak has some ambitious plans as an
organizer in the next few months--another tango festival, this time
featuring Julio & Corina and Tanghetto, as well as workshops with
Fabian & Carolina.  If he truly doesn't have the money to pay us, as
he claims, it seems very likely that he will not have the funds to
fulfil his obligations to these other performers and teachers.  And
for us, it is truly a slap in the face to see that he is planning
events on such a scale when he has yet to pay us monies that he has
owed us for three-quarters of a year.

I apologize again for the post.  I will be sure to post to the list
right away when we finally receive payment to let everyone know that
the problem is resolved and to withdraw my request that list members
not support Burak's events.  Meanwhile, if the payment remains
outstanding, we will contact Julio & Corina, Tanghetto and Fabian &
Carolina to let them know about our experience.

Sincerely,

Meredith Klein
meredithklein at gmail.com
http://andresamarilla.com