'RHOBH' Erika Jayne's Ex-Husband Tom Girardi Bags 7 Years In Jail For 2024 Guilty Verdict
Tom Girardi, the estranged husband of Erika Jayne, has finally been sentenced for his involvement in an embezzlement scheme.
The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star's former beau got the full weight of justice's hammer despite his age and health problems. He was sentenced in a Los Angeles court nearly a year after his guilty verdict.
Although Tom Girardi's crimes occurred during his marriage to Erika Jayne, the Bravolebrity escaped the legal drama after initially being named in a lawsuit. The victims of her estranged husband's fraud suspected she was involved in the get-rich scheme, but they eventually dropped their case against her.
Girardi may never see the light beyond his prison walls again after bagging seven years in federal prison for his crimes. At 86, that means he may spend the rest of his life behind bars, but the court believes this is a fair price to pay given his years-long embezzlement.
U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton did not stop at the 7-year punishment, slamming Girardi with a $35,000 fine and ordering him to pay over $2.3 million in restitution. The former attorney and co-founder of the now-defunct Girardi & Keese was found guilty of stealing from his clients.
Prosecutors accused him of embezzling $15 million from his clients over a decade-long period, including the $3 million settlement cash linked to the 2018 Lion Air crash.
Additionally, TMZ noted he was slammed for stealing up to $25 million from his law firm to fund Jayne's career in the entertainment industry.
During his trial, Girardi maintained his innocence and blamed the missing funds on his former chief financial officer, Christopher Kamon. However, the latter pleaded guilty to only participating in the crime and did not label himself the mastermind.
Kamon acknowledged his faults, accepting the guilty verdict for two counts of wire fraud in 2024. He received a 121-month sentence in federal prison for his involvement in the embezzlement scheme. Unlike Kamon, Girardi initially attempted to escape trial using his failing health
The Blast covered the story, reporting that the former attorney's legal rep argued that the embezzlement happened amid his battle with dementia. The lawyer stressed that Girardi was innocent as he was ignorant of the crime given his mental state, but the court ruled otherwise.
Contrary to Girardi's expectations, he was deemed medically fit to stand trial despite his failing health plea. He attempted to sway the jury during his testimony, claiming that "every client got every penny that every client was supposed to get."
Unfortunately, his words did not move them, and he was found guilty of embezzling more than $15 million from former clients. The charges against him first surfaced in December 2020, a month after his then-wife Jayne filed to end their marriage after 21 years.
It appeared she was cutting Girardi loose before his legal troubles began, but her actions did not stop victims from naming her in a lawsuit. The allegations implied she knew of her partner's embezzlement; however, she escaped prosecution as her involvement could not be proven.
Last November, Jayne addressed the end of her marriage to Girardi in a candid interview with Bravo producer Alex Baskin. During her appearance on the network's "Hot Mic" podcast, she got emotional while recalling the highs and lows of her relationship.
According to Jayne, despite her then-husband's faults, he always wished for her success. She noted it was Girardi who encouraged her to become a Housewife, claiming, "Tom told me, and I quote, 'They're doing more for you than you could ever do for them, sign it and return it.'"
Although he was always supportive, things changed when Girardi "was on the decline." Jayne recalled his personality did a complete 180, and his focus went from being her biggest fan to almost resenting her. Eventually, they couldn't stop fighting, and she pulled the plug on their marriage.
Jayne first met Girardi while working as a cocktail waitress at Beverly Hills' famous restaurant, Chasens. As a single mom, she was moved by the former attorney's kindness, describing him as "a good customer" and "a good tipper."
The pair started off platonic for over a year before their relationship turned romantic after a minor hiccup. Jayne recalled giving Girardi her number around Christmas time one year, but he asked his secretary to schedule a dinner date on his behalf to her distaste.
The TV personality claimed she turned down the dinner offer, allegedly telling the secretary: "If Mr. Girardi wants to take me out, he can call me in advance himself." Jayne noted he accepted her demands about a week later when he walked into the restaurant to ask her out on a date and the rest is history.
How will Erika Jayne react to Tom Girardi's 7-year prison sentence?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
39 minutes ago
- New York Post
Crypto bros in twisted kidnap, torture case hosted wild sex parties with help of alleged madam: sources
The crypto bros at the center of a twisted kidnapping case allegedly hosted wild sex parties with the help of an apparent madam at the posh New York City townhouse where they are accused of torturing an Italian Bitcoin millionaire, sources told The Post. The so-called madam, who has not been named publicly, is suspected of recruiting girls from a popular SoHo boutique to party with William Duplessie, 32, and John Woeltz, 37, at the ritzy Prince Street pad, according to the sources. Footage published by TMZ Thursday apparently showed the recruits inside the lavish digs with the alleged victim, Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, at some point during his three weeks allegedly being held hostage. Advertisement 5 Footage published by TMZ apparently showed the alleged victim, Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, with the women sources say were recruited for sex parties. via TMZ On occasion, Carturan — a wealthy trader worth some $30 million — was allegedly made to have sex with the women, the sources said. Clips and images obtained by the outlet reportedly showed a shirtless Carturan being led on a leash by a blonde woman wearing a tanktop and black pants. Advertisement Another video showed Carturan laying on a couch while a man sat nearby with what appeared to be a knife on his lap. Carturan, 28, was allegedly lured to the Big Apple with the promise of that he'd be able to recoup Bitcoin the sick pair had allegedly coerced from him by threatening to kill his family, Manhattan prosecutors have said. 5 Clips and images obtained by the outlet reportedly showed a shirtless Carturan with a naked woman. via TMZ 5 Other clips showed Carturan lying on a couch while another man sat nearby with what appeared to be a knife on his lap. via TMZ Advertisement He was picked up from the airport on May 6 and brought to the SoHo house of horrors by a since-suspended NYPD detective who was working security on the side, sources previously said. Carturan wasn't tied up until May 11, according to sources — which is when the depraved duo allegedly began torturing him for his Bitcoin password. He was severely beaten, shocked with electrical wires, forced to smoke from a crack pipe and at one point dangled him from a staircase five stories high, authorities said. The sick saga only came to light after the Italian national managed to escape on May 23, bloodied and barefoot, when he finally agreed to hand over his computer password as a ruse, cops said. Advertisement He fled the home when his captors went to retrieve the device. Woeltz was arrested that same day in his bathrobe outside the luxury rental, while Duplessie surrendered the following week after partying it up in the Hamptons from Memorial Day weekend. 5 John Woeltz, 37, was arrested in his bathrobe outside the luxury rental after the alleged victim escaped. Michael Nagle 5 William Duplessie, 32, surrendered after partying it up in the Hamptons from Memorial Day weekend. Steven Hirsch A subsequent search of the townhouse turned up cocaine, a saw, chicken wire, body armor, night vision goggles, ammunition and polaroid photos of the victim with a gun pointed to his head, prosecutors said It wasn't immediately clear if cops were investigating the newly surfaced videos as part of the ongoing case. The Post reached out to the NYPD and Manhattan DA's office but didn't hear back immediately. Advertisement The two accused kidnappers remain in custody and are due back in court later this month. Duplessie's attorney declined to comment Thursday, while Woeltz's lawyer didn't immediately return a request.
New York Times
44 minutes ago
- New York Times
‘Love Island' Contestant Leaves Show After Racist Comments Surface
'Love Island USA,' the reality dating show that sends singles to an island villa to pair up in hopes of winning a cash prize, is known and often appreciated for its messy plots onscreen. But this week, as Season 7 of the show premiered, most of the chaos took place offscreen. Some offscreen drama also reached the show's predecessor, 'Love Island UK.' Contestant Dismissed for Racial Slurs For starters, one of the contestants, Yulissa Escobar, was summarily dropped from the show after video recordings of her repeatedly using a racial slur in a podcast interview were dug up by online sleuths and then reported by TMZ. The clips created an uproar among fans online before the premiere on Tuesday, but the series is aired with a one- or two-day delay, and Escobar, a 27-year-old Cuban American from Miami, still appeared in the first episode. Before the premiere, fans were vowing on X and TikTok to vote Escobar off the show as soon as they had the opportunity. On the first night of the show, Escobar was also criticized by some viewers for wearing an outfit that they deemed appropriative of Chinese culture and using chopsticks to pin up her hair. At about the 18-minute mark of the second episode, which was shown on Wednesday, the narrator, Iain Stirling, abruptly announced that 'Yulissa has left the villa.' She had been paired with Ace Greene, and later in the episode Stirling noted that Greene was single. Escobar could not immediately be reached for comment. Ryan McCormick, a spokesman for Peacock, which streams the show, declined to comment on why the producers had removed her. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
DDG's Temporary Restraining Order Against Halle Bailey Denied
On Wednesday (June 4), DDG requested an emergency hearing in an attempt to block Halle Bailey from traveling internationally with their son, Halo. He countered her previous domestic violence accusations by filing for a restraining order of his own, but his request was not approved. Bailey is set to leave to Italy with their one-year-old this weekend for a few months as she shoots a film. TMZ reported yesterday the Michigan rapper filed a motion against his ex-girlfriend, claiming she poses an 'imminent emotional and psychological risk' to the child. He included several alleged incidents that would back up his assertions, if true. DDG wrote about a time Halle took his gun and ran out of his house, said she would have an abortion behind his back, and would text him concerning messages regarding her mental health. 'In or about August 2023, during a particularly volatile argument, petitioner became enraged and threatened to end her life using my legally owned firearm. Without my consent, she took the weapon and left the house,' wrote DDG in a declaration attached to his court filing, per Billboard. 'This incident was one of several in which petitioner's actions posed a serious threat to her own safety and the safety of our son by creating an environment of emotional distress and danger within the home.' The rapper also claimed Halle sent 'a series of alarming text messages threatening to kill herself and suggesting that their infant son, Halo, might also be harmed.' In May, Halle was granted a temporary restraining order against DDG after accusing him of abuse. She cited an incident where he allegedly smashed her head against a steering wheel during an argument, said he often referred to her as a 'b**ch' or 'evil,' and rallied his supporters to bad-mouth her publicly. The Little Mermaid actress addressed her Italy travel plans in her original complaint, which was approved on May 15. 'I have family and a nanny who will be traveling with me to care for Halo while I am working,' Halle wrote in the court documents. The former couple went public in March 2022 and had a child together in December 2023. See a full timeline of their relationship here. More from DDG Files Motion To Block Halle Bailey From Taking Their Son Abroad DDG's Brother Fights Dream Con Attendee For "Doo Doo Garbage" Insult DDG Fires Back At Soulja Boy's Request To "Get In The Ring"
