Tom Girardi, former 'Real Housewives' husband, sentenced to 7 years in prison
Former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" husband and attorney Tom Girardi was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison Tuesday for embezzling millions of dollars from former clients.
Judge Josephine L. Staton also ordered the 86-year-old to pay $2.3 million in restitution to victims and a $35,000 fine during the hearing in Los Angeles court.
Last year, the disbarred attorney and estranged husband of "RHOBH" star Erika Jayne was found guilty of stealing tens of millions of dollars in settlement funds from former clients for more than a decade. His victims included relatives of those killed in the 2018 Lion Air crash in the Java Sea, which killed 189 people.
The former powerhouse used to run the Girardi Keese law firm, which is now closed.
"Girardi sent lulling communications to the defrauded clients that, among other things, falsely denied that the settlement proceeds had been paid and falsely claimed that Girardi Keese could not pay the settlement proceeds to clients until certain purported requirements had been met," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said in a news release. "These bogus requirements included addressing supposed tax obligations, settling bankruptcy claims, obtaining supposedly necessary authorizations from judges, and satisfying other debts."
Federal prosecutors said that Girardi used his status to pilfer money from clients, whom he represented in cases involving severe injuries.
"This self-proclaimed 'champion of justice' was nothing more than a thief and a liar who conned his vulnerable clients out of millions of dollars," said U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bilal Essayli.
Girardi was convicted by a federal jury of four wire fraud charges after a 13-day trial in August.
Christopher Kamon, a former head of accounting for Girardi's law firm, was also tried for two counts of wire fraud and accused of aiding and abetting the former lawyer's scheme, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Kamon pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Girardi's son-in-law and former lawyer for his firm, David Lira, will also go on trial next month for federal fraud charges.
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. 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 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.
The former lawyer was ordered to surrender to federal authorities no later than July 17.
Jayne was in London on Tuesday when Girardi was sentenced, preparing for a performance at the city's famed KOKO club. In an interview with Vogue U.K. that was also published Tuesday, she 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."
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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