The Betrayal Lawyer: How Tom Girardi Stole Millions from His Clients
Once a Hollywood-connected legal titan, Tom Girardi built an empire of prestige and power — then spent years stealing from the very victims he vowed to protect.
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Subject | Tom Girardi |
| Type of Crime | Wire fraud, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary duty |
| Period | 2010 – 2020 (scheme duration) |
| Victims | Dozens of clients, including plane-crash survivors and families of victims |
| Total Losses | Estimated over $15 million |
| Verdict / Outcome | Convicted August 2024; sentenced June 4 2025 to 7 years and 3 months in federal prison |
| Jurisdiction | U.S. District Court, Central District of California |
Introduction
For decades, Tom Girardi was a legend.
He inspired the film Erin Brockovich, socialized with California’s elite, and married reality-TV star Erika Jayne from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
But behind the multimillion-dollar settlements and glittering lifestyle was a web of deceit that spanned a decade — a trusted attorney who stole from his own clients.
In 2024, the façade collapsed.
A federal jury found Girardi guilty of wire fraud for diverting millions from victims of disasters and medical malpractice.
Prosecutors called it “a breathtaking betrayal of trust.”
By mid-2025, one of America’s most famous lawyers was in prison, stripped of his license, legacy, and freedom.
The Rise and the Fall
Tom Girardi co-founded Girardi & Keese, a Los Angeles firm known for blockbuster verdicts against corporations.
For years, he cultivated an image of the people’s champion — the man who fought oil giants and big pharma on behalf of the voiceless.
Yet as settlements flowed in, Girardi quietly siphoned funds from trust accounts meant for his clients, using them to finance private jets, luxury cars, and his wife’s pop career.
The victims included widows, burn victims, and the families of passengers killed in the 2018 Lion Air plane crash.
Instead of receiving compensation, they got excuses — “the check’s in processing,” “the wire is delayed,” “the company hasn’t paid.”
Meanwhile, Girardi continued living like a star.
By 2020, the illusion began to crumble.
Clients and co-counsel raised red flags; bankruptcy filings revealed missing millions.
In 2021, the State Bar of California disbarred him.
Federal prosecutors later uncovered a pattern of theft stretching back at least a decade.
The Scheme: The Lawyer Who Lied
Girardi’s power lay in trust — clients believed him because he was their advocate.
He told victims that settlement funds would arrive “within weeks,” but he had already deposited their money into accounts controlled by his firm.
From there, the cash paid personal expenses, political donations, and extravagant gifts.
Investigators described a deliberate, methodical fraud.
Girardi moved money through firm accounts, concealed shortfalls with new settlements, and reassured clients with forged documents.
In court, prosecutors compared his tactics to a “Ponzi scheme in a pinstripe suit.”
Collapse of an Empire
The fall was swift.
In 2023, Girardi was indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud in Los Angeles.
At trial in 2024, former employees testified that they were ordered to lie to clients and falsify ledgers.
Emails revealed Girardi’s personal involvement in transfers and cover-ups.
By August 2024, the verdict was unanimous: guilty on all charges.
On June 4 2025, U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton sentenced him to 7 years and 3 months in federal prison — citing “unparalleled abuse of professional trust.”
Girardi, now 86, apologized in court, saying he was “deeply sorry” but blamed cognitive decline for his misconduct.
Victims called the apology “too little, too late.”
The Fallout
Girardi’s once-glamorous life imploded.
His mansion was sold to pay creditors, his firm dissolved, and his ex-wife Erika Jayne faced relentless media scrutiny over whether she benefited from stolen funds (she denied wrongdoing).
The California Bar launched an internal investigation into how Girardi’s crimes went unchecked for so long.
For his victims, the damage wasn’t just financial — it was emotional.
Many had trusted Girardi not only with their cases but with their futures.
One widow told reporters, “He didn’t just steal our money. He stole our faith in justice.”
Analysis: When Power Corrupts Trust
The Girardi scandal is more than a story of greed — it’s a cautionary tale about unchecked power in America’s legal system.
It shows how charisma and reputation can silence oversight, and how institutions often protect prestige over people.
“Girardi wasn’t just a lawyer. He was the system — and the system looked away.”
The case has prompted reforms within the State Bar of California, which admitted it had received dozens of complaints about Girardi over the years but failed to act.
For many, that’s the real tragedy: a man trusted to fight corruption became its embodiment.
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