Tom Girardi is no longer innocent in the eyes of the law. He’s been found guilty of four counts of fraud in relation to mishandling client funds in major settlements he won for them. The former husband of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has had a bizarre trial, with many wondering if he was competent enough to stand trial amid claims he was suffering from memory loss. Girardi, once one of the biggest and most respected attorneys in Southern California, was accused of running a 10-year Ponzi scheme and embezzling tens of millions of dollars of settlement funds from clients. He’s known for several high-profile cases, and was accused of taking at least $15 million in settlement funds from four of his clients, per NBC Los Angeles.
The 85-year-old, who suffers from dementia, allegedly spent the settlement money on a lavish lifestyle which incldued private jets, golf club memberships, jewelry, and jumpstarting the singing career of Bravo’s Erika Jayne. The two were married for 27 years after meeting at a hotspot in Los Angeles where Jayne was waitressing. She’s denied any wrongdoing or having any knowledge of his crimes.
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“Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a ‘Champion of Justice,’” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “In reality, he was a Robin Hood in-reverse, stealing from the needy to support of a lavish, Hollywood lifestyle. Today’s verdict shows that the game is up – we can all now see this defendant for what he was and the victims he callously betrayed.”
Despite Girardi’s mental state, he took the stand and assisted in his own defense. He is now reportedly under a conservatorship handled by his brother.
Prosecutors allege the fraud scheme lasted from 2010 to 2020 and involved many more ex-clients than the four involved in the current case, some of whom have their own cases against him. Some clients say they never received a dime.
“He wanted the outside world to believe he was fighting for people who couldn’t help themselves,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Moghaddas said during closing arguments, adding that some clients waited, “days turned into months and months turned into years” for their settlement.
