Tom Girardi, the infamous ex-lawyer convicted for stealing millions of dollars from his clients, was sentenced Tuesday to 87 months in federal prison.
Girardi, famous for his portrayal in the film “Erin Brockovich” and his appearances on “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” ran what prosecutors called a “textbook Ponzi scheme,” stealing from clients who’d already lost family members in plane crashes and endured gas explosions. He spent their settlement money on luxuries like private jets and the entertainment career of his now-estranged celebrity wife, Erika Jayne.
Judge Josephine L. Staton of the US District Court for the Central District of California said she knows the term may effectively be a life sentence for Girardi, who on Tuesday turned 86 years old. She said Girardi understands his charges and the sentence is needed to provide justice for victims and remedy his “untold damage” to trust in the justice system.
Girardi made his clients “feel that the entire legal system was on his side,” Staton said. “And they were not wrong.”
Girardi, who has dementia, spoke in court Tuesday, acknowledging some degree of “negligence” but denying that any of his clients weren’t paid in full: “It was bad accounting and mistakes were made.”
Staton found Monday he’s healthy enough for a prison sentence. She granted 45 days for officials to review his medical records and determine which prison facility will be able to accommodate his needs, requiring he be taken into custody July 17.
His public defender, Sam Cross, argued Girardi “will not survive a term in prison and his last days will be painful. He will not know why.”
“If there is ever a defendant to cut a break to, this is not the one,” Prosecutor Scott Paetty said, noting how good Girardi was at lying and concealing his fraud.
Walking out of court Tuesday into a car with dark-tinted windows, Girardi said to reporters, “I don’t even take a salary.”
Girardi Keese Bankruptcy
Many clients of Girardi’s now-defunct firm Girardi Keese may never be paid in full. The firm was dragged into bankruptcy after allegations of Girardi’s theft mounted in 2020, and a trustee faces an uphill battle clawing back all the funds.
One of those clients, Josie Hernandez, hired Girardi in the mid-2010s after sustaining severe complications from a medical device. She was eventually forced to file bankruptcy as Girardi stole her settlement and testified Tuesday that Girardi’s betrayal put her in a “catastrophic” financial position, forcing her to endure anxiety and depression.
“I never should have been a client,” she said, adding, “The doors of Girardi Keese should have been closed long before I hired him.” She also noted that none of the lawyers that helped with her case have faced accountability.
Girardi’s scheme embroiled the California Bar, where hundreds of misconduct complaints against him were covered for years due to his cozy relationships with Bar officials.
US Attorney Bill Essayli said after the hearing that his office will continue looking into “anyone and everyone who was involved in assisting Mr. Girardi.”
The case is USA v. Girardi, C.D. Cal., No. 2:23-cr-00047, 6/3/25
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