Tom Girardi, 85, stole millions from his clients—some of whom were as famous as he. Already disbarred, Girardi was found guilty of embezzlement yesterday by jurors in California.
After a 13-day trial and less than a full day of deliberations, the federal jury in Los Angeles found the 85-year-old Girardi guilty of four counts of wire fraud. Girardi is the estranged husband of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Erika Jayne and appeared on the show himself dozens of times between 2015 and 2020. He was once among the most prominent lawyers in the nation, often representing victims of major disasters against powerful companies. One lawsuit against California's Pacific Gas and Electric utility led to a $333 million settlement and was portrayed in the 2000 Julia Roberts film "Erin Brockovich."
He claimed to be a figurehead for his company—another executive there is also facing trial—but the evidence proved otherwise.
Prosecutors played jurors voicemails in which Girardi gave a litany of false reasons why money that a court had awarded could not be paid, including tax and debt obligations and judge authorizations. He frequently told them, "Don't be mad at me."
Sentencing is in December. ABC News says he faces 80 years imprisonment: an exaggeration for two notable reasons, one more satisfying than the other.
