Disgraced Lawyer's Fall from Grace: Erika Jayne’s Ex Faces Years Behind Bars
The Fall of a Once-Powerful Attorney: Tom Girardi Sentenced to 7 Years and 3 Months in Federal Prison
In a shocking turn of events, Tom Girardi, the 86-year-old disgraced lawyer and estranged husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, has been sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison after being found guilty in his wire fraud trial. The news comes as a culmination of a long and scandalous career, marked by allegations of swindling his clients out of millions of dollars.
Girardi's downfall began in 2020 when he was accused of stealing millions in settlements from the victims of the 2018 Lion Air plane crash in Indonesia, which claimed the lives of 189 people. The once-powerful attorney, who built the prestigious LA law firm Girardi & Keese after his fight against a California utility giant inspired the Oscar-winning movie Erin Brockovich, was charged with four counts of wire fraud, all of which he pleaded not guilty to.
However, on August 11th, a jury found Girardi guilty of swindling his clients out of around $15 million in settlement fees. The judge has ordered him to pay $2,310,247 in restitution to his victims and a $35,000 fine. To make matters worse for the embattled lawyer, he's been disbarred since 2022 following the allegations against him.
Girardi's estranged wife Erika Jayne, 52, who was married to Girardi for 21 years before filing for divorce after the Lion Air allegations surfaced, has been keeping a low profile. TheScholarlyNote.com reached out to her representatives but didn't hear back immediately. It seems like she's avoiding any further media attention, which is no surprise given her high-profile status and the scandal surrounding her ex-husband.
The trial revealed that between 2010 and 2020, Girardi used his clients' settlement funds "like a personal piggy bank." Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Paetty described the law firm as a "den of thieves" with Tom Girardi at its helm. The prosecution presented evidence that Girardi ran a massive Ponzi scheme, lying to clients and using their misappropriated millions to fund his lavish lifestyle.
Girardi's defense team attempted to portray him as suffering from dementia, claiming he was no longer in control of his actions. However, the prosecution successfully argued that Girardi knew exactly what he was doing – preying on vulnerable clients who were in their "darkest hours," suffering from terrible injuries or mourning the death of loved ones.
The court heard testimony from several victims, including Joe Ruigomez, who suffered horrific injuries in a 2020 gas explosion at his home. Girardi told Ruigomez that he was owed $5 million from a settlement with PG&E utility, when in reality, it was actually $50 million. Another client, Judy Selberg, hired Girardi to bring an unlawful death lawsuit after her husband Paul was killed in a boating accident in 2018. Although Girardi won $500,000 for Selberg, she's still owed a large portion of the settlement four years later.
In another case, Erica Saldana received a $2.5 million settlement for her one-year-old son's devastating injuries from a car crash. However, when Saldana called or emailed Girardi to ask about the payment, he came up with excuses like there was a lien on the settlement or an IRS issue holding it back.
The trial revealed that behind the curtain, Girardi was pilfering his clients' funds to fund his own lavish lifestyle – including two private jets and luxury cars. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Moghaddas called this case a "simple and sad story of trust violated and greed." Girardi's defense team pointed fingers at another man, Christopher Kamon, the chief financial officer of Girardi Keese, who they claim stole between $50 million and $100 million from the company.
In April, Kamon pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison. TheScholarlyNote.com will continue to follow this developing story as it unfolds.
In a statement, United States Attorney Bill Essayli said, "This self-proclaimed 'champion of justice' was nothing more than a thief and a liar who conned his vulnerable clients out of the millions of dollars." He added that his office "will vigorously prosecute corrupt lawyers and those who assist them in criminal activities."
Girardi is set to surrender to federal authorities by July 17. The once-acclaimed lawyer's fall from grace serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and greed. As theScholarlyNote.com continues to follow this story, one thing is clear – justice has finally been served, but it comes at a high price for those who were exploited by Tom Girardi's Ponzi scheme.