Tom Girardi Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Embezzling Millions From Clients
Tom Girardi, the estranged husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison for embezzling 'tens of millions of dollars' of settlement money that belonged to his clients. Girardi was disbarred in California in July 2022.
'This self-proclaimed 'champion of justice' was nothing more than a thief and a liar who conned his vulnerable clients out of the millions of dollars,' said United States Attorney Bill Essayli in a statement.
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District Judge Josephine L. Staton also ordered Girardi, 86, to pay a $35,000 fine and $2,310,247 in restitution, and said he must surrender to federal authorities no later than July 17.
In August 2024, a jury convicted Girardi on all four counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors said Girardi diverted money from accounts of his now-shuttered law firm Girardi & Keese to pay for private jet travel, luxury cars, jewelry, memberships to exclusive golf and social clubs, and more than $25 million in expenses for Jayne's company EJ Global. Former clients were initially impressed by Girardi's work in helping secure the famed $333 million settlement against Pacific Gas & Electric that inspired in the 2000 movie Erin Brockovich starring Julia Roberts, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Prosecutors accused Girardi of operating his firm like a Ponzi-scheme from October 2010 to late 2020 by lying to clients and instructing law firm employees to make incremental payments of newly obtained settlement funds to previously defrauded clients.
'Mr. Girardi, once a self-proclaimed 'legal legend' who purported to fight corporate greed, will now find himself on the opposite end of justice as he serves out his lengthy prison sentence,' Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, said in a statement following Girardi's sentencing on Tuesday. 'Years of hard work went into this case by agents and prosecutors motivated to pursue justice for the victims who were betrayed by Girardi after putting their trust in his corrupt law firm in their time of need and while enduring personal hardship.'
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Letters to the Editor: After Tom Girardi scandal, it's clear the State Bar of California needs reform
To the editor: I read about Tom Girardi with astonishment ('Tom Girardi — disgraced legal titan, former 'Real Housewives' husband — sentenced to 7 years in prison,' June 3). There were over 200 complaints to the State Bar of California. Yet the bar was MIA, with 'wine-soaked lunches' while money was stolen from clients right under their noses. In contrast, lawyers in the U.K. must have full outside audits of their books. Client money is audited to the last penny. And the auditors themselves are audited, by examiners from the bar's equivalent. Hence, corruption is rare. The bar here has roused itself to make some minor reforms. Good luck. Attorneys are not saints, free from temptation. More policing is needed. I suggest outside audits of attorneys' books by certified public accountants retained by the bar, to obviate conflicts of interest. As for the bar's dereliction of duty, heads must roll. Raymond Freeman, Thousand Oaks This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: After Tom Girardi scandal, it's clear the State Bar of California needs reform
To the editor: I read about Tom Girardi with astonishment ('Tom Girardi — disgraced legal titan, former 'Real Housewives' husband — sentenced to 7 years in prison,' June 3). There were over 200 complaints to the State Bar of California. Yet the bar was MIA, with 'wine-soaked lunches' while money was stolen from clients right under their noses. In contrast, lawyers in the U.K. must have full outside audits of their books. Client money is audited to the last penny. And the auditors themselves are audited, by examiners from the bar's equivalent. Hence, corruption is rare. The bar here has roused itself to make some minor reforms. Good luck. Attorneys are not saints, free from temptation. More policing is needed. I suggest outside audits of attorneys' books by certified public accountants retained by the bar, to obviate conflicts of interest. As for the bar's dereliction of duty, heads must roll. Raymond Freeman, Thousand Oaks
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