The Year Keeps Getting Worse For Erika Jayne's Husband, Tom Girardi
Erika Jayne's soon-to-be-ex-husband Tom Girardi's appearances on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills were few and far between, which is a shame because the viewers are missing out on lots of drama. In December 2020, The Chicago Sun-Times reported that a federal judge held him in civil contempt because he didn't provide an explanation for the $2 million that was supposed to go to people who lost family members in an airplane crash. The judge asked Tom to pay clients what they're owed as a "simple way to cure all of this." But, unfortunately, he's not able to pay. The judge reminded Tom that the money was owed to "widows and orphans" and that this much money is a "life-changing" amount.
Tom's lawyer told the judge, "I've advised him to decline that," when he was asked where the money went. Sadly, the plane crash victims' families aren't the only people Tom needs to pay. In October 2020, The Blast obtained court documents filed by Judy Selberg, who had a boating accident with her husband in 2018, which resulted in his death. She accused Tom and his firm of "legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and conversion" after they represented her in a wrongful death lawsuit. She claimed that Tom "inappropriately" increased his attorney fee, in addition to shorting her on the settlement payment; i.e. she alleges he stole her money.
As if that wasn't a sour enough note to conclude 2020, there's even more legal drama to dissect.
Is Tom Girardi and Erika Jayne's divorce a sham?
When it rains it pours, right? Well, it does for Tom Girardi. If only it was raining cash. Erika Jayne announced their split in November 2020 after 21 years of marriage, telling E!, "After much consideration, I have decided to end my marriage to Tom Girardi." She asked for "respect" and "privacy" just like most public figures, but she is on a reality TV show. Plus, many court documents are a matter of public record, so it's actually very unlikely she's going to get the privacy that she's requested.
A week later, Page Six obtained court documents that she filed asking for spousal support. Shockingly, the former couple did not have a prenup, which is usually a recipe for a contentious celebrity divorce. However, the families' of airplane crash victims think the exes are in cahoots. The Girardis are facing a lawsuit accusing them of embezzling funds from his clients and going through a sham divorce to "fraudulently protect Tom's and Erika's money from those that seek to collect on debts owed by Tom and his law firm," per Page Six.
The suit claims that Tom's firm is "on the verge of financial collapse and locked in a downward spiral of mounting debts and dwindling funds." The plaintiffs also call out Tom for funding Erika's admittedly lavish lifestyle instead of giving clients money they're owed. As Erika once sang, it really is "XXpen$ive" to be her ... and Tom, apparently.