Following his conviction on federal wire fraud charges, the question remains about where Tom Girardi should serve his sentence.
The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills husband will undergo a psychological evaluation to determine his mental state. His law team claims the 85-year-old suffers from dementia. They claim he was unfit to stand trial before his August 2024 conviction and request a new trial.
On December 20, a U.S. District Judge ordered Erika Jayne’s estranged husband to surrender on January 7 for an evaluation.
Tom Girardi is flying across the country for a medical evaluation
Tom will travel to North Carolina, where he’ll undergo a 30-day evaluation at the Federal Medical Center. Doctors will decide if he qualifies for incarceration at a Bureau of Prisons facility for elderly patients.
Afterward, he’ll return to California for a hearing to determine whether he can serve his sentence in prison or at a medical facility.
Tom’s legal team isn’t happy about his having to travel so far for his evaluation. “Mr. Girardi has special needs relating to his memory,” his attorney told Rolling Stone. “We expect him to deteriorate and not do well [in Bureau of Prisons custody] … There’s no reason this has to be done a continent away.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Paetty responded that the U.S. Marshals are ‘well-versed’ in transporting defendants with medical issues. “The defendant is ambulatory,” he said. “He’s not on a respirator, he’s not on a ventilator. They can facilitate [his transportation] safely, humanely, and suitably.”
Tom Girardi was the “thief-in-chief” at Girardi Keese
Tom was convicted in August 2024 of stealing more than $15 million from his clients.
During the trial, prosecutors accused Tom of using client settlement funds as “a personal piggy bank.” They described a massive “Ponzi scheme” of using client money to pay for private jets, luxury cars, and expensive jewelry. He also gave his then-wife $20 million to finance her singing career.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paetty told the jury, “Girardi was a den of thieves, and Tom Girardi was the thief-in-chief. Girardi Keese was a house of cards built on the lies of Tom Girardi.”
At the time, the judge ruled Tom was competent to stand trial, though he was suffering some mental decline.
Though prosecutors have asked for a 14-year sentence, the defense claims Tom should not serve time in prison. They say he’s a “broke, half-blind, incontinent, 85-year-old man with dementia” who shouldn’t spend time behind bars.
Tom and Erika were married for 21 years. Even though she filed for divorce in 2020, proceedings stalled with the 2021 Girardi Keese bankruptcy filing. The firm owes more than $100 million in debt.
Erika, who says she feels only “contempt” for her former spouse, did not attend her husband’s trial.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills returns on January 7 at 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK TOM SHOULD BE IN PRISON? OR DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD BE HELD IN A MEDICAL FACILITY?
