Los Angeles — Tom Girardi, a disbarred celebrity lawyer, was convicted on Tuesday of embezzling tens of millions of dollars from his clients, including those with severe physical injuries and the families of those who died in accidents.
After a 13-day trial and less than a full day of deliberation, a federal jury in Los Angeles found 85-year-old Girardi guilty of four charges of wire fraud.
Tom, the former husband of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” actress Erika Jayne, appeared on the show numerous times between 2015 and 2020.
Disbarred Celebrity Lawyer Tom Girardi Found Guilty Of Stealing Millions From His Clients
He was previously one of the country’s most recognized lawyers, frequently representing victims of severe tragedies in lawsuits against large corporations. One case against California’s Pacific Gas and Electric utility resulted in a $333 million settlement, shown in the 2000 Julia Roberts film “Erin Brockovich.”
However, his legal business failed, and he was disbarred in California in 2022 for client stealing.
Former customers who testified against Tom included an Arizona lady whose husband died in a boat accident and those injured in a 2010 gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, south of San Francisco.
“Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured victims by falsely portraying himself as a ‘Champion of Justice,'” US Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement following the verdict. “In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse.”
An email to Tom’s solicitors for comment on the conviction was returned after some time.
During the trial, defense attorneys attempted to put the crimes on the firm’s chief financial officer, Chris Kamon, who was charged separately and pleaded not guilty. In recent years, they presented Girardi as little more than a figurehead with a valuable name.
Prosecutors played jurors’ voicemails in which Girardi claimed that money awarded by a court could not be paid due to tax and debt commitments, as well as judge authorizations. He repeatedly reminded them, “Don’t be mad at me.”
Tom’s solicitors also claimed that he was incompetent to face trial because he had Alzheimer’s disease. Another court placed him under conservatorship under the supervision of his brother due to memory issues.
Prosecutors argued that Girardi was exaggerating his symptoms, and a court determined that he was fit for trial.
Disbarred Celebrity Lawyer Tom Girardi Found Guilty Of Stealing Millions From His Clients
Girardi is also facing federal wire fraud accusations in Chicago, where he is accused of diverting almost $3 million from family members of victims of the 2018 Lion Air tragedy that killed 189 people.
SOURCE | AP
