Girardi Criminal Charges Also Impugn California Bar, Critics Say

The dual criminal indictments of disgraced attorney Thomas Girardi and Girardi Keese employees is the latest blast to the California State Bar’s yearslong failure to discipline the celebrated plaintiffs’ lawyers despite a slew of complaints, bar watchers said.

An indictment in Los Angeles federal court made public Wednesday alleges five counts of wire fraud, claiming that Girardi and former chief financial officer Christopher Kamon together defrauded clients out of more than $15 million over a decade. An indictment in federal court in Chicago alleges 12 criminal counts—eight wire fraud and four criminal contempt counts—against Girardi and former partner David Lira, ...