Widow Forged Will To Get £900,000 Inheritance

Kamarah Graham-York

A widow was caught trying to disinherit her two children and her step-son out of a £2m house by clumsily forging her late-partner’s will to become the sole beneficiary.

Former singer Kamarah Inessah Graham-York, 66, who had never married, suddenly produced a will she claimed was hidden between old books at the six-bedroom Chiswick home.

Today she received two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, after eventually pleading guilty to defrauding the London Probate Office on June 20, 2010.

Graham-York, who was evicted from the home she shared with musician Norton Brian York at in Marlborough Road, admitted falsely representing the will was valid to receive the entire £901,200 estate.

The house was in Mr. York’s sole name and after thirty-three years of living as his common-law-wife she discovered the entire estate would go to his three children.

The couple had been part of BBC music performances and had attempted some other business ventures over the years.

“You were concerned that you were going to be left high and dry so planned your own method to obtain what you could from the estate,” Isleworth Crown Court Judge Phillip Matthews told her.

“The charge relates to a bogus will and there was an earlier attempt at a bogus will with your daughter, but she had second thoughts.

“You were shocked by the fact there was no will, but that is no excuse for making the lives of your family a misery for years and the criminal deception went on for years.

“You involved others through pressure, it was sophisticated, you forged a document with your ex-partner’s signature.

“It appears the purpose of your deception was to take the lot.”

Evicted: Family Home In Chiswick 

After years of legal proceedings and hearings at the High Court and Brentford County Court the estate has been whittled down to £458,085 after the mortgage was paid off.

Graham-York is now living in one room provided by the council following her eviction and during the legal fight refused to accept 25% of the estate to end court proceedings.

Mr. York passed away in June, 2009 and the beneficiaries were sons Graham Laurence York, 40, Adrian York, 41, and daughter Ilona Gidney, 39.

Graham-York concocted a bizarre plan to create a non-existent daughter, who would inherit everything and then hand it over to her, the court heard.

She then tried to recruit her reluctant daughter into a scheme to get her hands on the estate. 

“She said her mother was out of control, refusing to accept the whole estate wouldn’t be hers,” said prosecutor Miss Yetunde Martin.

“The defendant threatened that she would commit suicide and was scared by the thought of being left without anything.”

Step-son Adrian has spent £120,000 fighting the case in the civil courts. “He saw the signature on the will bore no resemblance to that of his father,” said Miss Martin.

“He also found documents that suggested evidence of the defendant practicing his father’s signature.”

Graham-York was arrested two years ago. “She stated that she found the will in the house amongst some music books and denied forging the signature, saying all the money she ever earned went to the deceased.”

Father-of-four Adrian says his father’s estate has been drained by legal costs. “It has taken a toll on my health, I have a stress-related illness, anxiety and insomnia.”

He also said in his victim impact statement: “I am taking medication and my wife and children have suffered with anxiety.”

Adrian describes his step-mother as a “serial liar” who falsely told him about his dad being abusive to Ilona in the 1980’s resulting in a “fall out” that lasted for the rest of his father’s life.

“He has also fallen-out with his half-brother who would not support him to get justice,” added Miss Martin. 

In her statement Ilona describes the forged will as a “culmination of a lifetime of lies.”

She added: “The civil cases have cost the estate hundreds of thousands of pounds and have caused a stress and strain on myself and my family.”

Son Graham says he has PTSD and severe depression, describing his mother as “abusive”, “threatening” and “manipulative” and only interested in her “own criminal gains.”

“He expresses disbelief that his mother faked a will, saying it was the sort of thing you would see on a tv show,” added Miss Martin. 

Graham concluded: “She has defrauded the family out of any inheritance whatsoever.”

Julian Waskett, defending, told the court: “She was shocked there was no will providing for her after thirty-three years together and thought she would be disinherited to the advantage of her children.

“Having started she couldn’t and wouldn’t stop it. She took an entrenched position.”