B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal has ruled a woman can keep gifts her ex-boyfriend gave her despite his claims she stole them from him.
In a Dec. 20 decision, Tribunal member Megan Stewart said Khalil Kassam and Jamie Meilen-Ramsay were in a romantic relationship that ended around Jan. 10, 2022.
Kassam said during their relationship Meilen-Ramsay stole his belongings, including a Cartier ring, a Burberry dress, Louboutin shoes and Free People clothing. He claimed $2,688 for the ring, $1,086 for the dress, $819 for the shoes, and $311 for the clothing.
Meilen-Ramsay denied the items belong to Kassam, saying he gave them to her as gifts during their relationship. She said at various times during the relationship Kassam demanded she return the items. She said she offered to return them, but they could not agree on terms under which she would be willing to return the items and Kassam would be willing to accept them.
Stewart said in March 2021, Kassam began sending Meilen-Ramsay messages indicating he had bought her something from Cartier.
An April 13, 2021 Cartier receipt submitted by Kassam shows he bought a white gold Cartier love ring. The ring’s packaging list includes gift wrapping, engraving and a gift note stating, “Dear Jamie, Thank for being such a special person to me! Love, Khalil.”
Pictures of the ring submitted by Meilen-Ramsay show it is engraved with the words “Jamie” and “Love KK.”
“I find it likely Cartier engraved the ring with those words,” Stewart said.
Kassam asserted the only ring engraving he purchased from Cartier was for the letters “KK” which are his initials.
He submitted as evidence in support of his assertion an email he said was from Cartier confirming the same.
Meilen-Ramsay argued Kassam fabricated this email, pointing out the emails Oct. 22 date is later than Oct. 11 when Kassam uploaded the email to the tribunal evidence portal.
“For this reason alone, I find Mr. Kassam likely fabricated the email and I place no weight on it,” Stewart said.
Stewart also noted Kassam referred to a gift in April Instagram messages as an “it’ while he later claimed the “little something” he got her was a pair of earrings.
“In the message exchange both parties referred to the item as ‘it’ as in a singular ring and not ‘they” as in plural earrings,” Stewart said. “I find Mr. Kassam transferred the Cartier ring to Ms. Meilen-Ramsay on April 14, 2021.”
The Burberry dress
Kassam said he bought the dress for his sister in May 2021 and relied on a Sept. 26 email from his sister in support of his assertion.
Stewart said that, in the email, Kassam’s sister said Meilen-Ramsay stole the Cartier ring, the Burberry dress and the Free People Clothing from Kassam, without providing evidence.
Kassam’s sister also wrote he purchased the items “with the intention of giving them to me, he sister” but there is no explanation for why Kassam’s sister believed that was his intention, Stewart said.
"I find the only way Mr. Kassam’s sister is likely to have thought that Mr. Kassam bought the items for her, including the Burberry dress, and that Ms. Meilen-Ramsay stole them is if he told her that,” Stewart said. “I find this email submitted by Mr. Kassam self-serving and unpersuasive.”
As with the ring, Stewart found the dress to be a gift.
“The Burberry dress is Ms. Meilen-Ramsay’s personal property, and she does not have to reimburse Mr. Kassam for it,” Stewart said.
The Louboutin shoes and the Free People clothing
Kassam says he bought Louboutin shoes and Free People clothing for his sister when he and Meilen-Ramsay were in Hawaii. Receipts confirm he purchased these items in Honolulu in December 2021.
Kassam alleged Meilen-Ramsay stole the shoes and the clothing from his suitcase.
Stewart said an audio clip of the two arguing in Hawaii records Meilen-Ramsay agreeing the shoes were Kassam’s.
However, the clip goes on to record Kassam offering to reimburse Meilen-Ramsay if she returns “everything” to him.
“I find the recording generally supports Ms. Meilen-Ramsay’s position that she offered to return the claimed items to Mr. Kassam to avoid arguments escalating,” Stewart said. “This is because a second audio clip records the parties arguing further and Ms. Meilen-Ramsay calling security because she feared for her safety.
“In contrast, I find Mr. Kassam’s offer to reimburse Ms. Meilen-Ramsay wholly inconsistent with his claims to the shoes and the clothing,” Stewart said. “I find the Louboutin shoes and Free People clothing are Ms. Meilen-Ramsay’s personal property, and Mr. Kassam is not entitled to reimbursement.”
Stewart dismissed Kassam’s claims and ordered him to pay Meilen-Ramsay $11.69 for dispute-related expenses.
