LOS ANGELES — Disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi had not responsible pleas entered on his behalf Monday on expenses he embezzled thousands and thousands of {dollars} from a number of the large settlements he received for shoppers throughout a as soon as outstanding profession.
Girardi, 83, is charged in Los Angeles federal court docket with wire fraud for allegedly stealing greater than $15 million from shoppers that included an Arizona widow whose husband was killed in boat accident, a Los Angeles couple injured in a automobile wreck that paralyzed their son and a person who was severely burned within the 2010 San Bruno fuel pipeline explosion.
As one of many nation’s most outstanding plaintiff’s attorneys, Girardi took on highly effective firms, film studios and Pacific Gasoline and Electrical in a case that led to a $333 million settlement, which was portrayed within the 2000 Julia Roberts movie “Erin Brockovich.”
However Girardi’s legislation empire collapsed and he faces mounting authorized issues.
He misplaced his legislation license final 12 months due to shopper thefts, collectors of his bankrupt Girardi Keese agency are in search of greater than $500 million and he’s in divorce proceedings with Erika Jayne, who starred on “Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
He’s gone from dwelling in a mansion in Pasadena to an assisted dwelling facility reminiscence care unit, the place attorneys say he has Alzheimer’s and is beneath a court docket conservatorship.
Girardi additionally faces federal wire fraud expenses in Chicago, the place he’s accused of stealing about $3 million from members of the family of victims in a 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 folks.
Public defenders in LA are in search of a psychological competency analysis for Girardi that can decide if he can stand trial.
Girardi, sporting a purple V-neck sweater and blue shirt, seemed to be frail as he walked slowly right into a federal courthouse in entrance of cameras. He was launched on a $250,000 bond.
Girardi is charged in California and Illinois alongside his agency’s chief monetary officer, Christopher Kamon, 49, who didn’t seem in court docket Monday. He’s jailed on a separate wire fraud case through which he’s accused of embezzling legislation agency funds to renovate two LA-area houses, pay for procuring sprees and rent an escort.
Kamon is due in a Chicago court docket Tuesday. Girardi’s arraignment there may be scheduled for March 3.
Girardi’s son-in-law David Lira, 62, additionally faces expenses within the Chicago case and is scheduled for arraignment Friday. His lawyer stated he’ll plead not responsible.
