Erika Jayne Breaks Silence: The Emotional Fallout of Tom Girardi's Prison Sentence
EXCLUSIVE
Erika Jayne, the Queen of Pop, Spills Tea on Ex-Husband Tom Girardi's Conviction and Prison Sentence!
The drama never ends for Erika Jayne, the iconic singer and reality TV star! Just days after her ex-husband Tom Girardi was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison for fraud, Erika opened up about her emotions in a candid chat on Diamonds in the Rough with Teddi Mellencamp.
The 53-year-old superstar revealed that she learned of Tom's grim fate while in London on tour. "And then 10 minutes before the second show, I get the news that Tom is being sent to prison... It just hurts," Erika shared, her voice trembling with emotion. "It reopens old healing wounds, and it is something that, you know, I had a sold-out crowd in a theater just for me, and I was so grateful. My happiest place in the whole world to be is on stage. So while I was happy... there's a little piece [of me] that was like, 'Ugh.'"
Erika, who was married to Tom for 20 years, admitted that she struggled to "fight back thoughts and emotions" during her performance. The reality star confessed that she was feeling sorry for herself at the time, which affected her usually flawless show.
Tom Girardi, the once-powerful attorney, was found guilty of swindling his horribly injured or grieving clients out of around $15 million in settlement fees. The 86-year-old lawyer's high-rolling career came tumbling down in 2020 when he was accused of stealing millions in settlements from victims of the 2018 Lion Air plane crash in Indonesia.
As Erika reflected on Tom's conviction, she expressed disappointment and sadness. "I was very disappointed because those people [in the audience] were there for me, and I felt like five percent of myself was feeling sorry for myself. I was 95 percent there, and five percent of myself was feeling sorry for myself."
The drama surrounding Tom Girardi's legal woes is far from over! Not only did he face a seven-year prison sentence but also a $2,310,247 restitution to his victims and a $35,000 fine. Judge Josephine L. Staton, who handed down the sentencing, ordered Girardi to surrender to federal authorities by July 17.
The controversy surrounding Tom Girardi's case is nothing short of jaw-dropping! As thescholarlynote.com reported earlier, prosecutors alleged that Girardi ran a massive "Ponzi scheme," lying to clients and using their misappropriated millions to fund his own lavish lifestyle. The once-acclaimed lawyer was accused of stealing between $50 million and $100 million from his law firm Girardi & Keese.
Girardi's defense team attempted to portray him as suffering from dementia, claiming he had lost touch with reality. However, prosecutors argued that Girardi was faking his condition to evade responsibility for his crimes.
In a shocking turn of events, Judge Staton rejected Girardi's lawyers' claims that he would not receive proper care in prison due to his health woes. The judge concluded that Girardi could safely be sent to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
As the drama unfolds, Erika Jayne remains steadfast, focusing on her music and reality TV career. In an Instagram post, she shared a shout-out to her new Vogue profile at 7:15 AM PT, giving no hint about her estranged husband's legal troubles.
Stay tuned for more updates on this juicy scandal!