Disbarred attorney Tom Girardi, known for his involvement in high-profile cases and for being the estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne, will be standing trial on federal criminal charges without co-defendant Chris Kamon. A Los Angeles judge ruled that the defense strategy of Girardi’s former bookkeeper would likely bias the jury against Girardi, leading to separate trials for each defendant.
Girardi, 85, faces multiple counts of wire fraud, with a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years on each count. Despite claiming to have Alzheimer’s disease and being unable to assist with his defense, Girardi was found competent to stand trial. The trial is set for August 6 in downtown Los Angeles, while Kamon’s trial date has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment alleges that between 2010 and December 2020, Girardi and Kamon embezzled approximately $18 million from clients of the now-defunct law firm Girardi Keese. The firm collapsed in late 2020 after Girardi faced accusations of embezzlement in a lawsuit related to an airline crash in Indonesia.
Girardi, who is currently living in a nursing home in Orange County, is free on bond, while Kamon, 50, is in federal custody awaiting trial. The State Bar of California received numerous complaints against Girardi, leading to his disbarment in 2022 after a four-decade career marred by allegations of misappropriating settlement funds, abandoning clients, and unethical behavior.
The trial will shed further light on the downfall of Girardi Keese, once known for representing plaintiffs in high-stakes civil litigation cases against major corporations. Fred Shuster’s coverage of the ongoing legal proceedings highlights the dramatic turn of events for Girardi, who was once a prominent figure in the legal world.
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