They were the picture of success: Nicholas Cartel and Singa Bui, high-powered lawyers living a life of undeniable glamour. A sprawling mansion, designer wardrobes overflowing with luxury brands, and a fleet of expensive cars – their world seemed built on solid gold. It was a carefully constructed facade, however, concealing a devastating betrayal.
The first cracks appeared in 2023, whispers of discontent from clients who discovered millions held in trust from their real estate deals were simply…gone. The boutique firm in Liberty Village, once a symbol of their ambition, became the epicenter of a growing scandal. Now, the illusion has shattered, leaving behind a trail of financial ruin and broken trust.
Singa Bui faced the ultimate professional consequence in December – disbarment. Nicholas Cartel, currently suspended, awaits his own disciplinary hearing. But the legal repercussions are only the beginning. Bui now faces 42 charges, including multiple counts of fraud and criminal breach of trust, while Cartel is accused of fraud exceeding $5,000.
The opulent lifestyle vanished with alarming speed. Their million-dollar home was sold at a staggering loss, and the couple now reportedly resides with family. A relentless wave of default judgments followed, culminating in a recent order demanding Cartel pay $500,000 in damages to the Ingarra family and two firefighters.
For Paul Evans, a firefighter nearing retirement, the loss of $202,000 represents a devastating blow. Shaun Henderson and his wife invested their entire life savings – $233,000 – and are left with nothing. They placed their faith in professionals, believing in the safeguards designed to protect them, only to discover those protections were illusory.
“We did everything right,” Henderson laments, a sentiment echoing the despair of countless others. “We trusted professionals.” The promised safety nets – insurance, the Law Society’s Compensation Fund – have offered no relief, leaving them stranded in a sea of unanswered questions.
Cartel vehemently denies any wrongdoing, dismissing the court rulings as riddled with errors and the criminal charge as “baseless.” He insists he played no role in the firm’s finances, claiming his focus remained solely on class-action law.
However, the evidence paints a different picture. For years, Cartel has attempted to distance himself from his wife’s actions, portraying her as the sole manager of the firm’s real estate practice. When Bui repeatedly failed to appear at hearings, he cited her hospitalization for mental health reasons, claiming he was unable to inquire about the missing funds.
The court saw through the carefully constructed narrative. A judge noted Bui was observed walking with Cartel and their children, appearing perfectly capable and requiring no assistance. A private investigator’s surveillance confirmed this, directly contradicting Cartel’s claims of his wife’s incapacitation.
The situation escalated dramatically when Bui repeatedly defied court orders, even traveling to Portugal after an arrest warrant was issued. Records revealed she had flown to Milan and Zurich around the time the funds disappeared, yet refused to disclose her assets or provide an accounting of the missing money.
Her actions were deemed a blatant display of contempt. Cartel was sentenced to 30 days in jail, while Bui received a 20-day sentence. Yet, even behind bars, the answers remained elusive, and the money remained missing.
For Henderson and others like him, the pursuit of justice is far from over. “We want answers; we want accountability,” he wrote in a recent legal document. “And above all, we want our money back – the money we spent decades saving, the money that was supposed to give our children a future.” Their story serves as a stark warning, a chilling reminder of the fragility of trust and the devastating consequences of betrayal.
