They were a vision of success: Nicholas Cartel and Singa Bui, lawyers living a life of opulent ease in a $5-million mansion. Designer clothes filled their closets, luxury cars graced the driveway, and two nannies ensured a seamless existence. It was a carefully constructed facade, built on trust and the handling of other people’s fortunes.
The illusion began to fracture in 2023 as whispers of discontent turned into outright accusations. Clients, those who had entrusted the boutique firm with millions held in trust for real estate deals, found themselves unable to access their funds. A chilling question hung in the air: where had the money gone?
The consequences were swift and devastating. Singa Bui was disbarred, her legal career in ruins. Nicholas Cartel faced suspension and a disciplinary hearing, the weight of mounting accusations pressing down on him. Then came the criminal charges – a staggering 42 counts leveled against Bui, including fraud and breach of trust, and a single charge against Cartel.
The tangible symbols of their former life vanished. Their lavish home was sold at a $1 million loss, and the couple retreated to the relative anonymity of family homes. Default judgments piled up, culminating in a recent order demanding Cartel pay $500,000 in damages to one family and two firefighters.
For Paul Evans, a firefighter nearing retirement, the loss of $202,000 represents a shattered dream. Shaun Henderson and his wife invested their entire life savings – $233,000 – only to be met with silence and unanswered pleas. They followed all the proper procedures, placing their faith in professionals, and now face an uncertain future.
Despite a recent, narrow legal victory – a court decision allowing them to challenge the default judgment – Cartel dismisses it as “meaningless.” He vehemently denies any wrongdoing, claiming errors in the court’s reasoning and labeling the criminal charge as “baseless.”
The Law Society’s investigation painted a starkly different picture. Bui was found to have “misappropriated” or “misapplied” over $1.7 million in client funds. She was ordered to repay the money, a sum that now seems increasingly unattainable.
For years, Cartel consistently deflected blame, portraying his wife as the driving force behind the firm’s real estate practice, while he focused on other areas of law. He claimed no knowledge of the firm’s finances, distancing himself from the growing crisis.
When Bui repeatedly failed to appear at hearings, Cartel offered explanations of mental health struggles and hospitalizations, citing memory loss from electroshock therapy. Yet, surveillance revealed a different reality – Bui was seen walking with her husband and their children, appearing perfectly capable.
A judge issued an arrest warrant after discovering Bui had traveled to Portugal and, earlier, to Milan and Zurich while millions remained unaccounted for. The court expressed outrage at their “contempt” for the legal process, jailing Cartel for 30 days and Bui for 20.
But for Henderson, Evans, and countless others, the legal maneuvering offers little solace. Their pleas are simple, yet profound: answers, accountability, and the return of the money they painstakingly saved – the money meant to secure their children’s future. The question remains, are the safeguards in place truly effective, or are they merely a comforting illusion?
