I need some advice from somebody outside of this situation.
Some/most details have been altered and changed to protect my identity.
Four years ago i started dating a woman who i ended up moving in with (8 months after we first started dating) about a year after that she ended up getting into quite heavy drug use. She was never a drug user when i met her but I stood by her until it was no longer possible to (she started to refuse to seek any help and just eat heavily into our savings to feed her habit) 12 months ago i moved out and never saw her again. 2 weeks ago i got a knock at the door telling me she had overdosed and passed away. The person telling me this was a Loan shark who had lent 'us' 20G's and showed me our signature on a 'contract' stating it… It was a very good copy of my signature but i could tell it was forged. Apparently she had 6, 000 left to pay and as she was no longer alive he wanted the rest from me. Now i KNEW this guy as he was a pretty famous loan shark from around my old area (I've never had anything to do with him) but i pretty much believed the rumors that he has the cops in his back pocket.So i knew going to the police wasn't an option -_- For a loan shark he was rather nice.lol and agreed that he could tell i knew nothing about it and said just call it 4G's and i had till the end of January to pay it. He gave me his word (he does have a reputation for keeping his word) that i would never hear from him again. I currently have £4, 000-ish in the bank. Finding the money isn't the problem.My current girlfriend is obviously scared witless (and so am I tbh) and wants me to pay it ASAP.Im 99% sure i should just pay. and i do trust him when he says i wont see him again.but at the same time ive never been into anything like this before and it really burns me that im not only 'feeding' a shark but having to give up all my savings because some one i dated a year ago decided to put my name on a contract.
Any advice?
P.s Sorry for typos etc.Im using my friends Ipad to type this as i don't any any trace of this being on my laptop etc.
Added (1). Loan shark as in "Hire an ex boxer to break your knee caps" This guy has been to jail for murder, GHB, drug running and breaking and entering.
Added (2). I dont think you guys get what i mean. This guy isnt licensed and the only time hes ever been in a court is before doing time in jail lol! He isn't ask "oh can i have a copy of this contract" lol the contract was written by hand and pretty much said "Give me16G and ill pay 20G back and if i dont you can kill me" .
Added (3). I know OF this guy and i do know he does keep his word on not coming back for more.
And yeah :( I phoned up her sister a few days back and said i'd heard. She over dosed on H and coke. She hadnt spoken too her from WAY before i left. I didn't tell her sister about the loan shark though.
To be honest im going to pay. Ive listen to ALL of your suggestions but i don't think you quite understand how "going to the police" will not help on this one. He's not a 'one man band' if they put him away it wouldn't take much to still get some one to 'visit' me. 4, 000 isn't that much compared to my health and my girlfriends health and her little boy. I'm moving earlish next year to Liverpool anyway. I currently live somewhere near London (UK) I wish i had the guts to say this guys name because all you would have to do is google it and im sure you'd be happy to pay too lol I'm just being stupid i guess even thinking of not paying it -
>>> Being forced to pay a loan shark due to ex's drug use?