Allegations of forged signatures, unauthorized settlements, and misappropriated funds have been raised in a civil complaint filed in federal court by a former client against her previous legal representatives. The plaintiff claims that her attorney settled employment claims without her knowledge or consent and took most or all of the resulting settlement money for himself.
The complaint was filed by Olivia Nantongo on March 25, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Fred V. Charles, his law firm Charles Law, P.C., and his brother Ralph Charles.
According to the filing, Nantongo alleges that over a period from December 2021 through December 2024, her former attorney Fred V. Charles forged her signature on at least four separate legal documents related to her federal employment claims. These documents included an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Charge of Discrimination, another EEOC charge document, a Settlement Agreement with her former employer Nationwide Mortgage Bankers Inc., and a Notice of Acceptance of Rule 68 Offer of Judgment filed with the court. The complaint states that "Fred V. Charles forged Plaintiff's signature on at least four separate legal instruments" and then personally notarized those documents while falsely certifying under oath that Nantongo had appeared before him.
The lawsuit further alleges that Ralph Charles—who is identified as both Fred V. Charles’s brother and an Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediator employed by the EEOC—played a role in facilitating the alleged scheme. According to Nantongo’s filing, Ralph Charles used his position to assist in concealing the actions taken by Fred V. Charles and delivered part of the settlement proceeds to Nantongo under false pretenses. The complaint states: "Ralph Charles's participation in the delivery of the settlement proceeds, and his affirmative misrepresentation to Plaintiff that 'Fred has already been paid,' constituted substantial assistance in furtherance of the fraud." It also notes that Ralph Charles was acting in his personal capacity rather than as part of his official duties at the EEOC.
Nantongo asserts she never authorized any settlements or signed any related documents during this process. She retained forensic document examiner Kathy S. Carlson to analyze the questioned signatures using established forensic methods. According to Carlson’s findings cited in the complaint: "The signatures purporting to be those of Olivia Nantongo on all four Forged Documents are forensically identical... Identical signatures across multiple documents over multiple years are a scientific impossibility for genuine signatures." The report concludes that each signature was electronically copied from a single source image without Nantongo’s knowledge or participation.
The lawsuit describes how after an unauthorized settlement agreement was executed on November 21, 2024—and following entry of judgment based on these filings—Ralph Charles delivered a check representing only part of what Nantongo says she was owed. He allegedly told her "Fred has already been paid," which Nantongo now claims was misleading because it concealed both the true amount received from Nationwide Mortgage Bankers Inc., as well as how much money had been retained by Fred V. Charles as purported attorneys’ fees.
The plaintiff outlines several causes of action including violation of New York Judiciary Law § 487 (which addresses attorney deceit), common law fraud against all defendants, breach of fiduciary duty against Fred V. Charles and his firm, aiding and abetting fraud against Ralph Charles specifically, conversion (wrongful taking) against all defendants, and unjust enrichment as an alternative claim.
In terms of relief sought from the court, Nantongo requests compensatory damages trebled under Judiciary Law § 487 for acts committed by Fred V. Charles; compensatory and punitive damages for fraud; additional compensatory damages for breach of fiduciary duty; punitive damages where applicable; disgorgement (return) of all proceeds wrongfully retained; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; attorneys’ fees; costs; and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn represents Olivia Nantongo in this matter (Case Number: 26-cv-1769). No judge names are specified within this portion of the filing.
Source: 126cv01769_Nantongo_v_Charles_Complaint_Eastern_District_New_York.pdf