Former ‘Real Housewives’ husband Tom Girardi found guilty of wire fraud in embezzlement case (2024)

Former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Tom Girardi, the disbarred attorney, was found guilty by a jury Tuesday in the embezzlement of millions of dollars from his former clients.

Girardi, the 85-year-old estranged husband of “Real Housewives” star Erika Jayne, was convicted on four wire fraud charges. The charges alleged he stole money from his clients over the course of a decade, including $3 million from family members of the victims of the2018 Lion Air crashthat killed 189 people.

He pled not guilty in Los Angeles last year. His sentencing is scheduled for December 6.

TylerHatcher, special-agent-in-charge for the IRS criminal investigation unit, said that Girardi “exploited his clients’ misfortunes on a grand scale.”

“His clients sought his help in the wake of significant trauma and injury, yet he violated their trust to steal from them and fund his own lavish lifestyle, and he will now face the consequences of his actions,” Hatcher said.

Investigators with both the FBI and IRS were tipped off from victims who reached out across districts, officials said Tuesday.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said that the 13-day trial showed how Girardi misappropriated and embezzled millions of dollars from trust accounts for clients.

Federal prosecutors allege that Girardi used his role as a high-profile attorney to pilfer money from the clients he represented in cases involving severe injuries.

Girardi’s public defender filed court documents indicating he planned to place the blame on his law firm’s former chief financial officer Christopher Kamon, who is being tried separately.

One of the firm’s accounting employees testified in court that there was a secret bank account where funds were transferred that Girardi appeared to have no knowledge of, according toBloomberg Law.Norina Rouillard said she was directed to personally deal with checks sent to a bank in San Bernardino, California.

Rouillard also testified that at the time, Girardi already appeared to be in cognitive decline by late 2020. She testified that Girardi “couldn’t remember s---, he was delusional, and there was nothing that could be done,” Bloomberg reported.

It was only inJanuary that Girardi was deemed competentenough to stand trial, as his attorney argued that Girardi had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and was unable to take part in the proceedings. Authorities have frozen Girardi’s assets as part of the case, and the former attorney has been residing in an assisted living facility.

The judge disagreed with the public defender, ruling that Girardi was able to stand trial and believed that the former attorney was exaggerating his symptoms.

Girardi is widely known for his role in the 1993 groundwater contamination lawsuit against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. That case became the inspiration for the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich” starring Julia Roberts.

But Girardi is best known for his time on the Bravo reality series “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” where he and his wife showed off an extravagant lifestyle. Jayne is one of the main stars of the show, and the legal battles surrounding her estranged husband have become a central storyline for her in recent seasons.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Girardi diverted more than $25 million from his firm’s operating account to pay the expenses of EJ Global, a company formed for Jayne’s entertainment career. The federal prosecutors say that is in addition to the millions spent on private jet travel, jewelry, luxury cars and exclusive clubs.

Girardi betrayed the trust of his most vulnerable clients, people who suffered traumatic events and needed his help, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada told reporters. Estrada called it “truly repugnant” behavior.

“His insatiable appetite for money is what led him to court and what led to this verdict today,” Estrada said.

Jayne was also named in a lawsuit alleging she had knowledge of her husband’s embezzlement in the Lion Air case, which accused him of stealing to keep up with the “never-ending spending spree by himself and Jayne.” But she wasdismissed from the suit in 2022.

The couple are separated, though Jayne filed for divorce in 2020 shortly after the allegations against Girardi unfolded. She has said on previous episodes of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” that she’s struggled to be granted the divorce due to Girardi’s mental and physical decline.

She has repeatedly denied having knowledge of Girardi’s fraud and has not been criminally charged in any related cases. Jayne also appeared in a documentary where she apologized to the victims whose money was stolen.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.