When it Rains, it Pours in Sunny Pasadena!

 

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne’s estranged husband Tom Girardi is facing new allegations of embezzlement. According to court documents obtained by several media outlets, Christina Fulton is demanding the money which she claims the famous lawyer owes her.

 

Earlier this year, Girardi was forced into involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy. His creditors accuse him of owing them millions, but he refused to pay his debts. The judge signed off on the bankruptcy and appointed a trustee to take control of Girardi’s finances.

 

 

Court documents reveal that Girardi, a loyal Democrat donor, has $74 million in assets with $56 million in liabilities (it’s anyone’s guess if the TWO private jets and Pasadena mausoleum are assets or liabilities). At the moment, the trustee is in the process of determining which assets to sell-off. The money will be used to pay back Girardi’s debts.  Fulton, who is one of many creditors, wants to make sure the money Girardi owes her is not wiped clean in his bankruptcy.

 

In the suit, Fulton says she hired Girardi in 2016, to represent her in a lawsuit over a car accident in which she sustained serious physical injuries. In 2019, the case was settled for $924,300. Fulton claims she only received $195,000 and alleges that every time she demanded payment, Girardi told her he was keeping the rest in a “secret safe”, and he was investing it on her behalf. Wow, a lawyer and financial adviser in one! Fulton claims he never had answers when pressed for details about the location of the funds or the alleged investments. But she let the fraud continue for 4 years? Hmmm.

 

The lawsuit accuses Girardi of fraud, embezzlement, and possible larceny. She claims, “Debtor has embezzled the unpaid balance of the settlement payment by converting it to his own use.”. Fulton is demanding the $729,300 owed not be discharged in Chapter 7. A judge has yet to rule, but with Girardi’s well known ties to CA’s sleazy (largely Democratic) legal system, I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were her. Girardi’s “defense“ thus far is that he is suffering from dementia and/or early Alzheimer’s Disease.  SIde note:  As a viewer, I noticed that proverbial "far away and lost look" on Girardi's face years ago; however, I'm not sure if declining cognitive ability is synonomous with calculated criminal activity.  Serious stuff right, at least he’s not the POTUS.

 

 

Here’s where it gets especially dicey. The soon-to-be-ex Mrs. Girardi, a.k.a. Erika Jayne, is set to be hit with a lawsuit as part of the bankruptcy. The trustee is asking the court for permission to hire a lawyer to investigate transfers made to Jayne. They believe she received gifts that are property of the estate. In court docs, the trustee claims Jayne refuses to return assets.