Tom Girardi appeared in court for the first time since being indicted on federal fraud charges with the judge in the case ordering a mental competency hearing, according to reports.
In the 15-minute gathering, United States Magistrate Judge Karen L. Stevenson entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the disbarred attorney, 83, also sealing all records pertaining to his mental health. The judge also set his bond at $250,000 with the understanding that Robert Girardi, his brother and now conservator, will have custody over him, according to Page Six.
The Judge also reportedly ordered him not to have contact with any of the alleged victims and forbid him from leaving the Central District of California but he does not have to wear an ankle monitor. She also put additional restrictions on Girardi like the court having to be notified if “any assets worth $5,000 or more” are transferred from Tom’s estate.
Robert appeared in court alongside his brother and told the judge he understood the orders.
Girardi, 83, is the estranged husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne and her husband’s financial issues have become her dominant storyline on the Bravo show. In photos obtained by the gossip outlet, Tom looks pretty frail as he attends court and is seen in public for the first time since the indictment.
Indictment
According to the LA Times, Girardi and his son-in-law, attorney David Lira and the former chief financial officer of his law firm, Christopher Kamon, have been charged with eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of contempt of court in Chicago, Illinois.
Prosecutors are alleging they misappropriated more than $3 million in settlement funds from the relatives of those who died in an Indonesian plane crash, according to the report.
Over in Los Angeles, California, federal authorities have charged Girardi with wire fraud amid allegations that the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills husband embezzled over $15 million from clients. As Bravo viewers are well aware, Tom and his estranged wife Erika Jayne have been facing allegations they were living a luxurious lifestyle on the backs of his clients for years.
Authorities in Los Angeles are also charging Kamon, alleging he “devised, participated in, and executed a scheme to defraud victim clients” along with Tom since 2010 until the law firm, Girardi Keese, closed in 2020.
“Mr. Girardi and Mr. Kamon stand accused of engaging in a widespread scheme to steal from their clients and lie to them to cover up the fraud,” he U.S. attorney in L.A., Martin Estrada, said in a statement according to the LA Times. “In doing so, they allegedly preyed on the very people who trusted and relied upon them the most — their clients. Actions like the ones alleged in the indictment bring disrepute upon the legal profession and will not be tolerated by my office.”
As previously reported, Tom’s estranged wife Erika Jayne is set to return for Season 13 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills where Girardi’s indictment is set to be a big plot point.
The Bravo hit will reportedly start filming in the coming weeks and is set for a fall 2023 return.
