Tom Girardi, former 'Real Housewives' husband, sentenced to 7 years in prison
Former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" husband Tom Girardi has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison in a Los Angeles court on Tuesday.
The 86-year-old was also ordered to pay $2 million in restitution to victims.
Last year, the 86-year-old disbarred attorney and estranged husband of "RHOBH" star Erika Jayne was found guilty of stealing millions of dollars from former clients for over a decade, including $3 million from relatives of the victims of the 2018 Lion Air crash in the Java Sea, which killed 189 people.
A federal jury convicted Girardi on four wire fraud charges after a 13-day trial.
Federal prosecutors said that the former high-profile attorney used his status to pilfer money from clients, whom he represented in cases involving severe injuries.
Girardi is known for his role in the 1993 groundwater contamination lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The case inspired the 2000 film "Erin Brockovich," which starred Julia Roberts.
He also appeared regularly in Bravo reality series "RHOBH" alongside his now-estranged wife, Jayne, one of the show's main stars. Federal prosecutors said Girardi diverted more than $25 million from his law firm's operating account to pay expenses for EJ Global, a company formed for Jayne's entertainment career. The money was spent on luxury cars, private jet travel, jewelry and exclusive clubs, according to prosecutors.
Jayne, 53, filed for divorce in 2020 after allegations against Girardi emerged, and has said on the show that the divorce is still in process because of his mental and physical decline. She was named in a lawsuit that alleged she knew about Girardi's embezzlement in the Lion Air case, but has maintained that she had no knowledge of any fraud he committed. Jayne was dismissed from the suit in 2022.
Girardi was deemed fit to stand trial early last year despite his lawyers arguing that he has Alzheimer's disease, which they said left him confused and with memory problems. Girardi had been living in an assisted care facility throughout the trial and while awaiting sentencing.
Jayne was in London on her estranged husband's sentencing day, preparing for a performance at the city's famed KOKO club. In an interview with Vogue U.K. that was also published Tuesday, Jayne spoke about picking herself up after dark times.
"We all go through things — you have to realize that you're not the only one," she told the outlet. "And you have to find the will to take baby steps until you feel more comfortable, and those baby steps might last for a long time."
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