A Los Angeles federal jury on Tuesday discovered disbarred California lawyer Tom Girardi responsible of 4 counts of wire fraud after prosecutors accused him of stealing $15 million in settlement funds from shoppers.
Girardi, 85, whose air pollution case in opposition to a California utility impressed the Oscar-winning movie “Erin Brockovich,” was accused of deceiving his shoppers and pilfering from settlement funds they’d obtained in private harm circumstances.
“Tom Girardi constructed celeb standing and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a ‘Champion of Justice,’” US Legal professional Martin Estrada mentioned in an announcement. “In actuality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse, stealing from the needy” to assist a “lavish, Hollywood way of life.”
Girardi’s federal public defenders didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Girardi blamed the alleged fraud on Christopher Kamon, the previous chief monetary officer of their legislation agency Girardi Keese. Girardi’s legal professionals have additionally argued that he suffers from dementia.
Girardi is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6. He faces as much as 20 years in jail for every wire fraud depend, prosecutors mentioned.
Kamon was charged with wire fraud in Los Angeles alongside Girardi however shall be tried individually in January. Kamon can be dealing with separate prices that he embezzled $10 million from Girardi Keese, which he then allegedly spent on intensive residence reworking, unique sports activities automobiles and an escort. Kamon has pleaded not responsible to all prices.
Girardi was a distinguished determine within the US plaintiffs bar earlier than allegations that he defrauded shoppers upended his profession in 2020 and value him his legislation license. He’s the estranged husband of “Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne Girardi.
Prosecutors in a separate legal case in Chicago have accused Tom Girardi, Kamon and David Lira — Girardi’s son-in-law who additionally labored at Girardi Keese — of misappropriating greater than $3 million in shopper funds owed to households of the victims of the 2018 Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia.
Girardi, Kamon and Lira have pleaded not responsible to the Chicago prices.
US District Decide Josephine Staton, who oversaw the Los Angeles trial, dominated earlier this yr that Girardi was competent to face trial regardless of his legal professionals’ dementia claims. Girardi’s lawyer in Chicago has argued that Staton’s competency ruling isn’t binding on the Illinois case.
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