Real Housewives of Beverly Hills introduced Tom Girardi via Erika Jayne, his still legally-binding wife. On Bravo, we watched as Tom afforded Erika a lavish lifestyle. He provided her with glam squads, designer duds, and a mansion so large it had its own chapel. This was easy for Tom, as he was one of the most prominent plaintiffs’ lawyers in the country.
On paper, Tom was a champion for the underdogs. He won hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements, after fighting for widows, orphans, and victims that were impacted by major, life-changing events. Global giants like Lockheed Martin and Boeing didn’t scare Tom, and his firm, Girardi & Keese, took them all on, winning each case with ease. However, Erin Brockovich is one of Tom’s most famous cases.
Here, Tom helped recover $333 million for 600 residents in Hinkley, California. These innocent victims had all become sick, with cancer listed as their most common diagnosis. As for the cause, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company contaminated their groundwater, while also paying off the local doctors. These medical professionals pricks claimed that the town’s drinking water had nothing to do with anyone’s declining health.
I hate people.
Another one of Tom’s famous cases was the 2018 Lion Air crash, but shockingly, these victims’ families never saw a dime from this case. Therefore, they began to fight back. Now, Tom’s legal team is preparing him for battle. As his court date looms, here is everything that there is to know about Tom’s upcoming trial, where justice will hopefully be served.
An Explainer of the Charges Against Tom
Last February, Tom was charged by prosecutors in two different cities; Chicago and Los Angeles. In these filings, Tom stands accused of stealing funds from his clients’ settlements. As a result, Tom now faces five counts of wire fraud in Los Angeles, with an additional eight counts of wire fraud, alongside four counts of criminal contempt of court charges, over in Chicago. In response, Tom has pleaded not guilty, and we saw this majorly scandalous storyline discussed on RHOBH.
To break down these charges, the first lawsuit stemmed from the aforementioned plane crash back in 2018. Tom settled this case in 2019, yet, these settlement funds never hit the victims’ families accounts. Therefore, they banded together and sued, accusing Tom of embezzling $3 million from the $12.55 million case. In their lawsuit, they claimed that instead of paying their much needed funds out, Tom paid off his firm’s legal bills and American Express cards instead.
Further complaints against Tom rolled in.
Jose Ruigomez hired Tom to go after PG&E, who owned the San Bruno gas pipeline that exploded. This incident left Jose critically injured in 2010. Once this case was settled, Tom suggested that the funds be placed in one of his investment accounts, where he’d then dispense money monthly to Jose. By 2017, Jose’s payments had “disappeared completely,” which he stated in Hulu’s documentary, “The Housewife and the Hustler.”
Additionally, Tom won a $17 million settlement for 138 women, who all developed cancer from a hormone replacement therapy. Sadly, 28 of those women then had to sue Tom and his law firm, claiming that more than $10 million of their settlement funds were misappropriated. Needless to say, Tom’s firm closed, and his courtroom might now see many pissed off victims in attendance for his trial.
Is Tom Competent for Trial?
At his first court appearance last year, Tom’s lawyers claimed that their client was incompetent. Therefore, a magistrate judge entered a plea of not guilty on Tom’s behalf. As for the prosecution, they clapped back, arguing that Tom was faking his declining memory problems. They stated that Tom was exaggerating his typical age-related issues to help him escape accountability for his actions.
Neurological experts were brought in for both sides, and testimony from Tom’s former friends was also given. Then, Tom f’ed up. Ahead of any decision being made on his competency, Tom reportedly swore at a prosecutor during a mental competency hearing in 2023. Prosecution therefore argued that Tom’s outburst was proof that he understood his current situation.
On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, Tom was declared competent to stand trial. We love to see it.
The Potential Outcomes of Tom’s Trial
Erika is dismissed from multiple aspects of Tom’s case, but the viewers have still railed her for her overall lack of empathy. Luckily, Tom is still on the hook, and he will face a jury filled with hand-picked individuals, who may, or may not, decide to throw the book at him. In California, typical charges for embezzlement vary. Therefore, it’s hard to say what kind of punishment Tom will face, if he’s found guilty.
In a similar proceeding in California, one executive received 5 years in prison. This guy defrauded his investors of $15 million. In contrast, another California lawyer got 15 years when found guilty of stealing more than $4 million from his clients. Using these two similar, yet different cases, the outcomes of Tom’s trial, if he’s proven guilty, will likely see him living out his days in the pound.
Information About Tom’s Trial
The clock is now ticking for Tom and his team, who requested a 2025 court date. That ask got a big fat nope from the courts. Instead, Tom’s jury trial will start on 5/21/2024 at 9:00 a.m.
And now, we wait.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN AT TOM GIRARDI’S TRIAL?
