Disgraced Los Angeles superstar lawyer Tom Girardi has been found proficient to stand trial on charges that he stole additional than $15 million from his shoppers.
A federal choose filed a observe of the transient get Tuesday below seal. Attorneys for both of those sides ended up specified 5 times to discover any information and facts in it that they would like the decide to hold confidential.
Girardi, 84, is the estranged spouse of “The Serious Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne.
Girardi pleaded not responsible in Los Angeles previous 12 months to wire fraud on prices that he embezzled from shoppers, which includes an Arizona widow whose partner was killed in a boat accident a Los Angeles couple wounded in a car or truck wreck that paralyzed their son and a person who was seriously burned in the 2010 San Bruno gasoline pipeline explosion.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to decades in federal jail.
The Affiliated Press sent messages to his general public defenders looking for remark.
Erika Jayne is opening up. On this week’s episode of Entry Hollywood’s “Housewives Nightcap,” the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star talks about her new Las Vegas residency “Bet It All on Blonde” and what it usually means to her to reclaim her songs occupation pursuing particular troubles.
At problem in the competency hearing was whether Girardi comprehended the costs and proceedings towards him and could aid with his possess protection. His legal professionals argued that he was not able to choose part in the trial for the reason that he has been identified with Alzheimer’s illness, which they claimed has remaining him confused and with memory difficulties. He at the moment is being in the memory treatment unit of a nursing residence.
Prosecutors contended that Girardi was exaggerating his symptoms.
As one particular of the nation’s most prominent plaintiff’s lawyers, Girardi took on potent companies, motion picture studios and Pacific Gasoline and Electric powered in a circumstance that led to a $333 million settlement, which was portrayed in the 2000 Julia Roberts movie “Erin Brockovich.”
But his law empire collapsed, he was disbarred in California in 2022 above client thefts, and he faces mounting lawful problems.
Girardi also faces federal wire fraud expenses in Chicago, where he is accused of thieving about $3 million from family members customers of victims of a 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 folks.
The Chicago court docket is predicted to comply with the competency selection in California.
