This sounds like an awful experience, and it must be cause you a great deal of distress also. So you have my sympathies. Unfortunately you don't have much (if

This sounds like an awful experience, and it must be cause you a great deal of distress also. So you have my sympathies. Unfortunately you don't have much (if any) leverage here (at least to get the money you feel you are owed). And without access to these private communications, I have no way of knowing if there were any protections or guarantees written into your contract (that consultants typically put into their contracts, precisely to defend themselves from situations like these). The only advice I can give therefore is: (1) Get a lawyer (who understands and ideally practices in the countries where you do business) (2) Moving forward, it is absolutely crucial to get -some- form of a proper contract in place, even if it's just a few short paragraphs. It's true that email contracts have some validity (depending on jurisdiction) but there's no reason to leave this to guesswork. Hire a lawyer and find out what the standards are for the countries where you do business. And raise your consulting rates to cover this expense. (3) Respectfully, consider partnering with someone (even if it's just a friend whom you compensate with beer and pizza) who speaks the languages of these countries -fluently- (and ideally natively) and can be relied on to help you straighten out communication gaps. Because that sounds like what's most likely what was at play here. I strongly doubt these people set out with any intent to screw you over in any way. Just at some point there was a misunderstanding, which led to other misunderstandings, which led to where you are now. (4) You definitely will not get them to pay you any additional money. On the bright side, it will also be unlikely they will be able to sue you (given that the cost would probably be much more than what they feel you owe them). That said, for the sake of your reputation, it would be good to at least -try- to settle this matter amicably (even if it means refunding part, or even all of what they say you owe them). To do that properly, you need to at least work in item (3) and if you can all afford it, item (1) of course as well.