'Robin Hood in reverse': Former 'Real Housewives' star convicted of embezzling $15 million

Disbarred California attorney and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum Tom Girardi was found guilty on Tuesday of embezzling at least $15 million in settlement funds from clients.

The jury convicted the 85-year-old of four counts of wire fraud at the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. His sentencing date is scheduled for Dec. 6, when he faces up to 80 years in prison, 20 for each count.

The estranged husband of Bravo star Erika Jayne was accused of deceiving and pilfering clients in personal injury cases while spending money on luxury private jets and golf club memberships, according to the attorney's office.

"Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a 'Champion of Justice,'" U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. "In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse, stealing from the needy to support of a lavish, Hollywood lifestyle."

Here's what you need to know about Girardi and the trial.

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Who is Tom Girardi?

Girardi, who lives in Seal Beach in Southern California's Orange County, is a now disbarred celebrity lawyer known partially for his role in the 1993 groundwater contamination lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric that inspired the 2000 Oscar-nominated film "Erin Brockovich."

Girardi was once considered a "powerful figure in California’s legal community," running the Girardi Keese law firm, which was forced into involuntary bankruptcy in late 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The State Bar of California disbarred him from practicing law in July 2022.

Girardi is also known for formerly starring on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Girardi's legal battles with Erika Jayne has become a storyline in recent seasons of the reality show and is also chronicled in the the 2021 docuseries "The Housewife and the Hustler."

What happened during Girardi's trial

During the 13-day trial, Girardi shifted the blame to Christopher Kamon, the former chief financial officer of the now defunct Girardi Keese law firm, accusing him of deceiving clients.

Kamon is also charged with wire fraud and has pleaded not guilty, with his Los Angeles trial set for January. He faces separate charges of embezzling $10 million from the law firm to allegedly spend on extensive home remodeling, sports cars and an escort.

USA TODAY has reached out to the public defense counsel for Girardi for comment on the verdict, as well as Kamon's attorneys.

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No visible reaction to verdict in courtroom

Girardi showed no visible reaction when the jury's decision was read in the courtroom, according to Reuters.

His lawyers argued that the former attorney suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Earlier this year a judge decided Girardi was competent enough to assist his legal team during the trial, KABC-TV reported. He currently resides in an Orange County memory ward after being freed on a $250,000 bond, the station reported.

Girardi is also facing criminal charges in a Chicago case in which he is accused of misappropriating over $3 million in client funds from the families of victims in the 2018 Lion Air Flight plane crash that killed 189 people in Indonesia. That trial is scheduled for March 3, 2025.

Girardi is being accused alongside Kamon and Girardi's son-in-law, who also worked at Girardi Keese. All three have pleaded not guilty.