Erika Jayne Denies Aiding & Abetting Her Estranged Husband Tom Girardi’s Embezzlement

Erika Jayne married Thomas Girardi, a founding partner of Girardi & Keese in Downtown Los Angeles, after meeting in 1998. Erika announced her separation from Girardi and filed for divorce in November 2020, and just one month later, the couple was named in a lawsuit for allegedly embezzling funds. Erika has recently come forward to deny allegations that she aided and abetted her estranged husband Tom Girardi’s embezzlement.

According to court documents obtained by Radar Online, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star claimed she had no involvement in the alleged illegal activities. Jayne and her company, EJ Global, were sued earlier this year by the Law Office of Manuel H. Miller and Kathleen Bajgrowicz, a representative of Charles Osborne, as we previously reported.

David Lira, a former law firm associate of Girardi’s, is the third defendant. According to the lawsuit, Jayne was fully aware of her estranged husband Tom Girardi’s alleged Ponzi scheme. During their 22-year marriage, the once-respected former lawyer is accused of embezzling his clients’ money and using it to fund his lavish lifestyle with Jayne. The suit accuses Lira of financial elder abuse and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.

Miller is an attorney who worked on a case for Bajgrowicz against the NFL with Girardi. They reached an agreement in which they agreed to split all fees from the case. Miller, on the other hand, claims Girardi misappropriated the funds and did not disburse them after the case was settled. Miller believes he is owed $277k while Bajgrowicz believes he is owed $1.1 million. Jayne and Lira are accused of aiding and abetting Girardi “because it benefitted them financially.”

According to the lawyer who filed the lawsuit, the type of lawsuit is unique in that it does not seek to recover the funds allegedly misappropriated by Girardi or any amounts “fraudulently transferred to [Jayne and Lira],” but rather to hold them, “liable for the damages caused by” their actions.

The suit accused Lira of failing to detect Girardi’s deception at the law firm. They also accused Jayne of being aware “about the scheme and that victims like Plaintiffs were funding her notoriously lavish lifestyle.”

Miller claimed Lira and Jayne, “knew that Girardi was operating a scheme that depended on him” breaching his duties to his clients. Borges has now reviewed the lawsuit and responded on Jayne’s behalf. The reality star denied all of the allegations in the complaint. Jayne denied “aiding and abetting” her estranged husband’s alleged theft.

“Ms. Girardi further denies, generally and specifically, that Ms. Girardi has engaged in any wrongful conduct or that Plaintiffs have been damaged in any amount, or at all, by reason of any act or omission of Ms. Girardi.”

She claimed Miller and Girardi’s fee agreement is “unethical, illegal, and unenforceable” in the state of California. The reality star requested that the judge dismiss all charges against her.

The court has yet to make a decision. Let’s see where this goes. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

What’s your opinion on this one? Let us know in the comments!