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'When are they gonna indict her?': Fans wonder as Erika Jayne's estranged ex Tom Girardi indicted

A federal grand jury indicted Thomas Vincet Girardi for allegedly stealing more than $15 million from legal clients

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tom Girardi, the disgraced former Los Angeles legal giant and spouse of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,' was slapped with federal charges in two states on Wednesday. Erika Jayne, on the other hand, has not been mentioned in any federal lawsuits.

Anyone who has seen the past several seasons of 'RHOBH' is familiar with Erika's 83-year-old estranged husband, Tom. In the past seasons, Tom got engaged in a fraud case that allegedly defrauded clients out of millions of dollars. Erika said she had no knowledge of her husband's actions, which sparked debate among some of the housewives on the show. However, even the housewives were disturbed by Tom's charges. And it's a shame since Tom, formerly regarded as one of America's top lawyers, was charged on February 1, 2023, for allegedly stealing more than $15 million from his clients. Tom and his colleague, Christopher Kazuo Kamon, are accused of misusing settlement cash by informing clients that the money had not arrived or that there was a payroll problem. Tom and Christopher misled clients into believing that they had to complete specific standards in order to access their money.

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Will Tom Girardi get prison time?

Tom is already dealing with a mound of legal action stemming from allegations that he stole money from his law company. On Wednesday, grand juries in Chicago and Los Angeles indicted him on charges of stealing $3 million from aircraft tragedy victims and an extra $15 million from other clients. Prosecutors claim he took the money to cover high American Express bills and two country club membership fees.

Tom is residing at an assisted living facility. His wife has publicly said that he is suffering from dementia, and he was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2021. It is unknown if he will be found fit to face trial. He risks up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

Among the claims are that Tom took $3 million from the settlements of victims of an Indonesian plane tragedy and another $18 million from his corporation to fund his lavish lifestyle. The criminal charge is the latest chapter in a tragic narrative that has brought Tom's once-admired career to an end. He is being sued in numerous states for suspected fraud and theft, which first surfaced in 2020, around the time Erika filed for divorce.

Fans wonder about Erika's future amidst

Erika filed for divorce from her estranged spouse in November 2020, after 21 years of marriage, as charges of racketeering and embezzlement mounted. The allegations included both a criminal and civil complaint, with the latter also naming Erika. Erika Jayne has been mentioned as a defendant in some of her estranged husband's lawsuits, although she has not been charged with any crime. She has had some of those claims dismissed, and she believes she did nothing wrong. Some of Tom's victims went against her, saying that she and her estranged husband used stolen money to support their extravagant lifestyles.

Erika claims she was uninformed of Tom's suspected illegal conduct involving the victims of the 2018 plane tragedy, which led to his disbarment by the California Federal Court. She is not mentioned in any federal lawsuits. Though a court fight is still ongoing, it was recently decided in one case that the plaintiffs suing Erika for "aiding and abetting" her estranged spouse in suspected fraud failed to establish she had any knowledge of the alleged crimes, which Erika regarded as a positive sign.

"Two years now down the road, we're getting some really great rulings, and I'm grateful for that," she remarked at the RHOBH panel at BravoCon 2022 in October. "And more to go... So I'm in a much better place, and I'm grateful for that."

Fans took to social media to weigh in their opinion on the matter with most holding Erika accountable, "Erika knew, she divorced him because of this, and she’s benefited under Tom’s dirty money." Another person added, "When are they gonna indict her? This is literally letting a white woman go scot free of her involvement in this theft. She's a fraudster&kept quiet while enjoying all that victims money." Wondering why their extravagant lifestyle was never questioned before, a Twitter user wrote, "I Remember, saying to someone when real housewives of Beverly Hills first came out with Tom and Erika how does Tom have two planes as a lawyer I worked for major sports team owners that only had one plane." On the other hand, one Erika fan came out in her defense writing, "She be find. Could only imagine how much is hidden in off shore accounts. Just like politicians and other rich people."

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