Tom Girardi, Erika Jayne’s Ex and ‘Real Housewives’ Fixture, Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Prison for Embezzlement

Former high-powered attorney Tom Girardi, best known to pop culture fans as the ex-husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, was sentenced Tuesday to seven years and three months in federal prison for embezzling millions of dollars from vulnerable clients.

The 86-year-old disgraced lawyer was also ordered to pay $2.3 million in restitution and a $35,000 fine during the Los Angeles sentencing hearing. Prosecutors painted a damning picture of Girardi as a man who used his prestige and persona as a champion of justice to exploit victims—including the families of those killed in the 2018 Lion Air crash.

The sentence marks a dramatic fall from grace for Tom Girardi, who once helmed Girardi Keese, a powerhouse personal injury firm in California. He gained fame for his role in the landmark Erin Brockovich case and later, reality-TV notoriety through his appearances on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with Jayne.

But behind the glamour, federal authorities say Tom Girardi masterminded a long-running fraud scheme in which he siphoned millions from client settlements to fund a lavish lifestyle—complete with private jets, luxury cars, and a music career for Jayne via her entertainment company, EJ Global.

“This self-proclaimed ‘champion of justice’ was nothing more than a thief and a liar who conned his vulnerable clients out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli.

In August, a federal jury convicted Girardi on four counts of wire fraud. His firm’s former head of accounting, Christopher Kamon, who aided in the scheme, received a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty. Tom Girardi’s son-in-law and former firm attorney, David Lira, is set to go on trial next month on related charges.

Tom Girardi’s team had argued that his Alzheimer’s diagnosis rendered him unfit for trial. However, a judge ruled he was competent, and he stood trial while living in a care facility. He is required to surrender to federal authorities by July 17.

Erika Jayne, 53, has consistently denied any knowledge of the fraud and was dismissed from a lawsuit related to the Lion Air embezzlement in 2022. She filed for divorce in 2020 and has since returned to performing, appearing this week in London at the famed KOKO club. In an interview with Vogue UK, Jayne addressed her comeback, saying, “You have to find the will to take baby steps until you feel more comfortable.”

Tom Girardi’s sentencing sends a clear message about accountability—no matter your fame or fortune. But for his victims, many of whom were already grieving life-altering losses, the scars of betrayal may last far longer than the prison term handed down in court.