Erika Jayne’s estranged husband, Tom Girardi, has been stripped of his law license after a months-long legal battle.
Effective as of Tuesday, March 9, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 81, is “not eligible to practice law,” according to the State Bar of California.
The Loyola Law School alum’s license change came three months after his legal troubles made headlines in December 2020.
Us Weekly confirmed in December 2020 that class action firm Edelson PC accused Girardi and his estranged wife, Jayne, 49, of faking their split to “fraudulently protect Tom and Erika’s money,” claiming that the pair were “on the verge of financial collapse.” The duo was also accused of embezzling $2 million in settlement funds intended to help the victims of Lion Air Flight 610 families, which was a 2018 crash that killed 189 people.
The Dancing With the Stars alum filed for divorce from the lawyer one month prior, after 20 years of marriage. She later accused him of having an affair with a California judge. A source exclusively told Us Weekly in December that Erika is “still in disbelief that Tom would cheat. She’s also in disbelief with all the lawsuits that are coming that no one was aware of.”
A second source told Us that the Bravo personality feels “betrayed” by the legal situation, adding, “Tom always handled all of the finances and that was how they handled things. She is just reeling from all of this … but Erika is a tough cookie and she isn’t stupid. She will get through this.”
The same month, Us confirmed that Girardi has been accused of not paying his court reporter company, Vertiext, nearly $550,000. Girardi is also being sued by his business partners, Robert Keese, Robert Finnerty and Jill O’Callahan.
Us previously reported that their firm allegedly owes Wells Fargo $882,000. Amid his legal woes, Girardi’s assets were frozen by a judge in December and Edelson PC requested that Erika stop working with French company Vesitaire and selling her clothes.
Last month, Girardi was placed under a temporary conservatorship, with his brother, Robert, being appointed to take control of his daily activities and personal care following health concerns.
“My brother presently needs me to make all decisions related to this bankruptcy case, all legal matters in which he is presently involved, and also to make all decisions related to his personal matters, such as health decisions,” Robert said in his declaration during a February 1 hearing, noting that he sought advice from other legal professionals to help him “make decisions that are in my brother’s best interest.”
Robert will remain in control over his brother’s finances until March 30. He has already filed a request to put eviction notices on pause as he works to fully understand Tom’s legal troubles.
“I understand that my brother’s home may ultimately need to be sold. In this regard, I am making plans for him to have a place to live should his home be sold,” Robert wrote in a declaration filed to a California court on February 12, obtained by Us. “Although presently he has no place to live that is familiar to him and near his medical professionals. … I do not believe that immediately removing my brother from his home is justified.”
Listen to Getting Real with the Housewives, your one-stop destination for Housewives news and exclusive interviews
