NEED TO KNOW
- In 2020, famed lawyer Tom Girardi was accused of stealing from clients
- Girardi was antecedently joined to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, who revenge for divorcement successful 2020
- On June 3, Girardi was sentenced to 7 years successful prison
Tom Girardi was erstwhile a powerhouse lawyer known for suing ample corporations and extracting immense settlements for his clients. Now, he will spell to situation for 7 years for stealing from them.
On June 3, Girardi was sentenced by a national judge successful nan Central District of California. In August 2024, he was convicted of 4 counts of ligament fraud aft embezzling millions from his clients.
Girardi — who was portrayed successful nan 2000 movie Erin Brockovich — began experiencing his individual and master downfall successful precocious 2020. That November, his woman of 21 years, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, filed for divorce.
Within nan adjacent month, nan once-famed lawyer recovered himself successful nan halfway of a analyzable web of ineligible controversies: He was accused of stealing customer costs for his ain individual spending; he was sued by his erstwhile rule patient partners; and his rule firm, Girardi Keese, was forced into involuntary bankruptcy.
Girardi was diagnosed pinch dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease successful March 2021, and placed nether nan conservatorship of his younger brother, Robert, successful July. In 2022, Girardi was officially disbarred by nan authorities of California aft being investigated for much than 200 disciplinary matters complete his 40-year rule career. In February 2023, he was indicted by 2 abstracted national expansive juries — 1 successful Los Angeles and one successful Chicago — for allegedly misappropriating $18 cardinal successful customer colony money, according to nan Los Angeles Times. (A judge later dismissed nan charges successful nan Chicago lawsuit up of his California sentencing, per Reuters.)
Here is everything to cognize astir wherever Tom Girardi is now — from nan position of his ineligible woes to his early down bars.
What happened astatine Tom Girardi’s national proceedings successful California?
Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty
After Girardi was indicted connected 5 counts of ligament fraud by a national assemblage successful California successful February 2023, his ineligible squad based on that nan disbarred lawyer was incompetent to guidelines proceedings owed to his declining intelligence state. But successful January 2024, a judge declared Girardi competent to guidelines trial.
During Girardi's 13-day 2024 trial, Girardi said publically astir nan fraud and embezzlement charges against him for nan first clip erstwhile he took nan guidelines to attest successful his ain defense. According to nan Los Angeles Times, nan disgraced lawyer denied immoderate wrongdoing while testifying, insisting that “every customer sewage each penny that each customer was expected to get.”
Girardi and his lawyers attempted to displacement nan blasted to Christopher Kamon, nan CFO of nan now-closed rule firm. In their closing arguments, Girardi’s defense squad portrayed their customer arsenic an “elderly man pinch cognitive decline” and alleged that nan theft of customer money was “Mr. Kamon’s scheme,” nan Los Angeles Times reported. Prosecutors, however, painted Girardi arsenic nan “thief successful chief” who ran a “house of cards ... built connected lies.”
What was nan verdict astatine Tom Girardi’s national proceedings successful California?
Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times via Getty
In 2024, Girardi was recovered blameworthy of embezzling much than $15 cardinal from his clients complete a span of 10 years.
The assemblage deliberated for conscionable 4 hours, according to nan Los Angeles Times, and voted to convict Girardi connected 4 counts of national ligament fraud. One juror, Miguel Lopez, said that nan verdict “wasn’t a difficult decision,” per nan Los Angeles Times.
“Tom Girardi built personage position and lured successful victims by falsely portraying himself arsenic a ‘Champion of Justice,’ ” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said successful a statement pursuing nan blameworthy verdict. “In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse, stealing from nan needy to support a lavish, Hollywood lifestyle. Today’s verdict shows that nan crippled is up — we tin each now spot this suspect for what he was and nan victims he callously betrayed.”
What was Tom Girardi's situation sentence?
Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty
On June 3, Girardi was sentenced to 7 years successful prison, aft facing up to 80 years. He was besides ordered to salary $2.3 cardinal successful restitution to victims and a $35,000 fine, according to NBC News.
U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton issued nan sentence, decrying Girardi for utilizing clients' colony money connected "private jets and state clubs," per nan Los Angeles Times.
In a unfortunate effect statement, Joseph Ruigomez — who enlisted Girardi's thief aft suffering burns complete 90% of his assemblage successful a 2010 state statement detonation — said that Girardi was “supposed to beryllium a beacon of hope.” Instead, nan lawsuit turned into a years-long “a nightmare,” according to nan Los Angeles Times.
What was Erika Girardi’s consequence to Tom Girardi’s blameworthy verdict?
Erika said retired connected her erstwhile husband’s ineligible woes successful an question and reply pinch Extra’s Billy Bush successful November 2024.
“Tom was convicted and that was hard,” she said. “You know, it’s difficult to spot personification that you loved and respected and honored extremity for illustration this."
She continued, “But I besides really person to fto spell and move on. There’s thing near for maine there, I tin do thing astir it. It’s beyond my control. But what I tin power is nan early of my life.”
Erika filed for divorce from Girardi successful November 2020 aft 21 years of marriage. While they are legally separated, their divorcement has stalled owed to Girardi's conservatorship and ineligible troubles.
Where is Tom Girardi now?
Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty
Girardi has been ordered to surrender to authorities by July 17, according to The Guardian.
Girardi's lawyers person plans to entreaty his conviction, per nan Los Angeles Times.