Tom Girardi, the disgraced powerhouse attorney known for his marriage to “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne, has been found guilty of embezzling more than $15 million from former clients.
A federal jury issued the verdict Tuesday in Los Angeles, where the famed lawyer stood trial for running a fraud scheme between 2010 and 2020 … in which he pilfered millions from settlement funds from several clients. Girardi was found guilty on 4 counts of wire fraud.
Girardi’s defense attorney, Charles Snyder, painted a different picture for the jury … claiming others at TG’s now-defunct law firm Girardi Keese — which represented plaintiffs in several high-profile cases, including the one against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. dramatized in the film “Erin Brockovich” — stole the funds as Girardi’s mental health declined.
Girardi has been battling dementia in recent years … but was deemed fit to stand trial in this case. He even claimed in his testimony that “every client got every penny that every client was supposed to get.”
Still, the jury was quick to side with the prosecution … as they first began their deliberations on Monday, before returning their verdict less than a day later.
While Girardi’s estranged wife has been tied to the scandal since it first broke in December 2020 amid allegations some of the money embezzled went to finance her entertainment career, she was not charged in the case. Jayne filed for divorce in 2021, but she and Girardi have yet to finalize their split.
We’re sure more developments are to come … so, stay tuned.