Disgraced lawyer Tom Girardi, known for his celebrity clients and once prominent legal career, was found guilty on Tuesday of embezzling millions of dollars from his clients, who included individuals with severe injuries and families of accident victims. The 85-year-old Girardi, who is the estranged husband of reality TV star Erika Jayne, was convicted on four counts of wire fraud after a brief deliberation by a federal jury in Los Angeles.
Girardi, who had a reputation for representing victims in high-profile cases against powerful corporations, saw his legal empire crumble which eventually led to his disbarment in California in 2022 due to client theft. Several former clients testified against Girardi during the trial, recounting how he misled them and diverted funds meant for them, including individuals affected by a boat accident and a gas pipeline explosion.
Prosecutors painted Girardi as a deceitful figure who falsely portrayed himself as a champion of justice while engaging in fraudulent activities. Despite attempts by his defense team to shift blame to his firm’s chief financial officer, Chris Kamon, Girardi was found guilty of orchestrating the embezzlement scheme himself. The defense also argued that Girardi’s cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease rendered him incompetent to stand trial, a claim refuted by the judge.
Girardi is facing a potential sentence of up to 80 years in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for December. Despite the severity of the charges and the guilty verdict, he has been allowed to remain free until his sentencing. Additionally, Girardi is facing similar federal wire fraud charges in Chicago related to allegations of embezzling funds from the families of victims of a 2018 Lion Air crash that claimed 189 lives.
