In a closely watched legal proceeding, former attorney Tom Girardi, once a towering figure in California’s legal community, was found guilty on Tuesday of wire fraud by a federal jury in Los Angeles. The 85-year-old, who had built a reputation as a champion for the underdog, was convicted on all four counts of wire fraud related to his years-long embezzlement scheme, in which he stole tens of millions of dollars from his clients.
The verdict was delivered after a 13-day trial that included emotional testimonies from former clients, including a burn victim and a widow, as well as employees of Girardi’s now-defunct law firm, Girardi Keese. Prosecutors argued that while his clients waited for settlements that never came, Girardi funneled the money into a lavish lifestyle, funding private jets, country club memberships, and the entertainment career of his estranged wife, Erika Girardi, a star of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
The jury, which deliberated for about four hours, found Girardi guilty on all charges. The case marks a dramatic fall from grace for a man who once wielded considerable influence in legal and political circles. US Attorney Martin Estrada referred to Girardi as a “disgraced lawyer” and emphasized that his actions were a gross betrayal of his clients’ trust.
During the trial, Girardi’s defense team argued that their client, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, was mentally incompetent and had no control over the firm’s operations during the years in question. However, the prosecution successfully convinced the jury that Girardi’s cognitive decline began only recently, while his fraudulent activities had started over a decade ago.
Girardi is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6 and could face up to 80 years in prison. Despite his conviction, he remains free until that date because the judge determined that he poses neither a flight risk nor a threat to the community.
The case has also drawn attention due to Girardi’s association with high-profile cases, such as the 1993 lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric that inspired the film “Erin Brockovich.” Girardi faces additional charges in a separate trial scheduled for 2025 in Chicago, related to allegations that he misappropriated funds from the families of victims of a 2018 plane crash in Indonesia.
Juror Miguel Lopez commented on the case, stating that the evidence against Girardi was overwhelming and that the decision to convict was clear. “All the evidence was there,” Lopez said. “It wasn’t a hard decision.”
Yahoo News, USA Today and the Hill contributed to the report.
