Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne is damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t. Since Tom Girardi’s empire fell all around them, Erika has been under the watchful eye of fans speculating on how much she knew.
Viewers have seen Erika show little to no remorse over the alleged victims of Tom’s greed, and it didn’t do her any favors. In an effort to cover his dastardly deeds, the game plan has been to declare Big Tommy incompetent. Now docs have determined Tom is good to go to trial. In a shocking twist, Erika has gone and visited with some victims. Page Six has the details.
“With an open heart …”
Ahead of a new season, it looks like EJ is out on the streets trying to make amends. She met with some of the folks allegedly victimized by Tom’s lack of moral compass.
Erika said, “I came here with an open heart to listen to what’s going on, hear what happened, and figure out how to be a part of how to move forward together in a way that’s beneficial for all victims.” While many might think this is too little, too late, at least she’s doing something.
EJ took the meeting at the Valley Inn Restaurant in LA for a Paul’s Ice Cream event. Kathy Ruigomez and Kimberly Archie founded the company. Kimberly is a former employee of Girardi Keese and Kathy is the mom of a burn victim who was a client of Tom’s.
If you were wondering if she did any press for this meet-up, the Los Angeles Times happened to be there. Erika was spotted doing a sit-down interview complete with a camera crew.
According to witnesses, Erika ditched the it’s EXP3N$$IVE to be her look and wore black trousers and a conservative shirt. So if nothing else, at least she wasn’t patting the puss in a sequined leotard. “They looked very serious but engaged during their discussion,” a source said.
Not only did Erika meet with Kathy, mother of Joseph Ruigomez who claims her family is owed $11 million from a 2020 lawsuit, but she also chatted with Josie Hernandez. Josie retained Tom in 2014 when she fell ill after numerous failed surgeries for “incontinence issues.”
“We can help some of the victims”
Nancy Marston was at the meet and greet as well. Court docs showed Erika ALLEGEDLY received almost $250k from 2012 – 2021 in a settlement case involving Nancy’s lottery winnings. After speaking with EJ, she feels they are in a “good place.” “I think we’re moving on, and I think that maybe we could help each other. We can help some of the victims,” Nancy shared.
Former Girardi Keese staffer Kimberly added, “I think that it’s even difficult for some attorneys and people who prosecute these kind of cases to understand it. So I think it would be irrational to think Erika knew.”
Kimberly continued, “I never thought she stole the money or anything like that. My only thing was really just how it came across to the victims, and now this erases any of that obviously because she’s making a concerted effort to make the victims feel better.”
So did Erika get a new PR company or did she see herself as one of the victims in the group? Perhaps she’s ready to right some wrongs ahead of Lucky Season 13.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF EJ MEETING WITH VICTIMS? ARE YOU SURPRISED SHE MADE THIS MOVE?
