Judge Barry Russell admitted, according to a Law 360 story about the hearing, that settlement funds from the trust account intended for a class action handled by Thomas’ company, Girardi Keese, were used as payment for the diamond earrings on Tuesday, June 28. Erika, 50, must still return the earrings, but the court added that he didn’t think she knew they were stolen property.
Erika Jayne To Surrender $750K Diamond Earrings From Ex Tom Girardi
Erika Jayne, a cast member of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” was ordered to forfeit a pair of diamond earrings bought by her ex-husband Tom Girardi after a judge determined that the pricey item was purchased using stolen money. Erika was not aware of the transaction, but she still has to give back the jewelry.
Russell also said that even though he didn’t think the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” actress knew the present was purchased with stolen money, she still has an obligation to give them back. Disgraced lawyer Girardi, 83, is accused of giving Erika the earrings in March 2007 after purchasing them with funds from a client’s trust account.
Additionally, Tom previously listed the purchase as case expenses, according to court records that were received in February. The earrings were purportedly discovered in a safe, despite the fact that he initially asserted that the jewelry had been taken from their house. Jayne, who was first named as his co-defendant in the 2018 case, vehemently contested the accusations and was ultimately removed from the embezzlement action.
Ronald Richards, a former trustee counsel, said that the ruling was a critical milestone in the Girardis’ pursuit of recouping stolen property. Whether Erika was aware that the cash was stolen from client funds or not is irrelevant. This decision has become case law and will be applied in related future proceedings.
The decision was also discussed by Erika’s attorney, who also offered his client’s perspective. Erika is once more being held accountable for Tom Girardi and Girardi Keese’s prior deeds. Evan Borges told Us that Erika didn’t do anything wrong. Accepting and wearing a gift does not make her wrong.
In reality, the judge clearly concluded that Erika was neither at fault nor aware of Tom Girardi and his colleagues at the law firm’s acts. The lawyer Tom Girardi committed this and he should be the one paying for it, not Erica.
The announcement coincides with Erika and Tom’s ongoing legal problems. After 21 years of marriage, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills actress filed for divorce in November 2020. The ex-couple was charged with stealing $2 million in settlement money from the Lion Air Flight 610 victims’ families the following month.
Additionally, it has been claimed that the former lawyer handled numerous of his clients’ money improperly. Girardi is also charged with stealing compensation money from widows and orphans who lost loved ones in the Lion Air Flight 610 tragedy in 2018 so that he and his trophy wife may live a lavish lifestyle. With all this, Erika is happy that she ended the marriage and is looking forward to starting over.
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