Tom Girardi, Ex-Husband of ‘RHOBH’ Star Erika Jayne, Found Guilty of Fraud

Tom Girardi is no longer innocent in the eyes of the law. He’s been found guilty of four counts of fraud related to mishandling client funds from major settlements he won for them. The former husband of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has had a bizarre trial, with many questioning his competence to stand trial amid claims of memory loss. Girardi, once a prominent and highly respected attorney in Southern California, was accused of orchestrating a 10-year Ponzi scheme and embezzling tens of millions of dollars from clients. Known for several high-profile cases, he was accused of taking at least $15 million in settlement funds from four clients, according to NBC Los Angeles.

The 85-year-old, who suffers from dementia, allegedly diverted the settlement money to fund a lavish lifestyle, which included private jets, golf club memberships, jewelry, and supporting the singing career of Bravo’s Erika Jayne. Girardi and Jayne were married for 27 years after meeting at a Los Angeles hotspot where Jayne was waitressing. She has denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of his crimes.

“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 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 affected many more ex-clients than the four involved in the current case. Some clients have their own pending cases against him. Numerous clients have claimed they never received any portion of their settlement funds.

“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.