BREAKING: Toronto lawyer couple Nicholas Cartel & Singa Bui sentenced to 30 days jail for civil contempt. The pair are accused of embezzling $6.5+ million of client money from their firm's trust account.
@dewayna44 In some ways, it's easier to be jailed for contempt in a civil fraud case than criminally charged for fraud: Judge makes an order, you stubbornly and repeatedly disobey it, a mere fine won't help, so jail. Vs the extensive evidence needed to charge/prove actual criminal fraud
It's rare but not unheard of for a lawyer to be jailed for contempt of court. In this case, Cartel was handcuffed in the courtroom and led away by an officer. Bui will serve her sentence after Cartel is finished his (they have young kids).
@DTSaskatoon The Law Society has it own, separate but parallel investigation into the couple. Their process is a disciplinary one that can can professional consequences, whereas this court hearing was about civil contempt - which can have penal consequences (jail)
A Toronto judge is ruling right now on whether to jail two lawyers for contempt of court in a case where they're both accused of stealing client money. It's rare but not unprecedented for a lawyer to be jailed for contempt
Penalty hearing is scheduled for Oct 25. Judge has issued a warrant of committal for lawyer Singa Bui (i.e. to be taken into custody) & advised husband/lawyer Nicholas Cartel to "ensure that his affairs are in order in the event he is sentenced to a period of incarceration"
This lawyer couple is alleged to have embezzled nearly $7 million from home-buyers and -sellers in the GTA - and now have been found in contempt of court for failing to answer questions about where the $ went.
https://t.co/D3OctWFHXS
@DTSaskatoon@SaskREALTORS@LawSocietySask Interesting.
Pretty sure that in a very narrow set of circumstances, lawyers in Ont. can represent both ends of a real-estate transaction.
Law Society Tribunal accepted joint submission that Samfiru be reprimanded & ordered to pay $5000 costs. It issued its reprimand to him: 'Your conduct in these matters was overly litigious & your manner of communications, threatening to clients. And this conduct must be deterred'
Lior Samfiru's lawyer at Law Society hearing: "Mr Samfiru’s response to the 2 clients who made disparaging comments… were undoubtedly overzealous, excessive"