The Real Housewives star Erika Jayne and her former husband Tom Girardi were sued in December 2020 when they were accused of misappropriating client funds and embezzling the settlement funds of the Lion Air plane crash victims. She was also accused of orchestrating a sham divorce in order to protect their money from those that seek to collect on debts owed by Tom and his law firm GK.
However, she was recently dismissed from the Fraud Embezzlement lawsuit as the legal documents stated, "Pursuant to stipulation, plaintiff's claims against defendants EJ Global LLC and Erika Girardi are dismissed without prejudice and without costs."
The reality star's attorney, Evan Borges released a statement saying, "I'd like to see Edelson and everyone else take the high road going forward and not make accusations against Erika without evidence."
He added, "We want Edelson to get the most completed picture of the evidence as possible, and have no issue with further investigation. But the truth matters. Here, the truth is that Erika had no role in the Lion Air dealings, actions, or inaction as between the attorneys and their clients, and she never received any of the Lion Air clients' settlement funds."
Erika Jayne was also recently accused of not coughing up $1.4 million earrings which her former husband Tom gave her during their marriage but she has yet to comply and a motion was also filed asking the court to force Erika to give back the earrings within 5 days.
Erika Jayne Legal Controversies
Erika Jayne filed for divorce from her husband Tom Girardi on 3 November 2020 after being married for 22 years. She demanded Tom to pay for her spousal support and attorney fees but he responded by asking to terminate the court's ability to award Spousal support to her and he requested Erika to pay for attorney fees and costs.
However, after months of their divorce news, the former power couple was sued for allegedly using their split to embezzle money by law firm Edelson PC. The lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court on behalf of several families who lost loved ones in a 2018 Boeing plane crash of the Lion Air. According to the plaintiffs, the former couple embezzled settlements funds meant to help the families of victims on Lion Air Fight 610.
The lawsuit also added that it was not the first attempt of Tom to hide and divert assets and they used divorce as a tactic to protect their finances. However, on 14 December, Tom and Girardi Keese had their assets frozen by the judge and he was unable to explain where at least $2 million went from the crash settlement fund. Later, his lawyer informed him that his unavailable in recent weeks was due to serious illness.
YOU MAY LIKE: Erika Jayne Married Life With Ex-husband Tom Girardi| Her Feud With Kyle Richards & Net Worth Insights
Moreover, Tom was also hit with another lawsuit from his law partner, Robert Keese, and several other business partners in order to dissolve their business venture known as 1126 Wilshire Partnership. He was accused of never paying them approximately $315,000 in income and keeping the money to himself. Tom was also accused of taking out loans from the property without their knowledge for his personal gain and benefit. This lawsuit resulted in Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Other than legal dramas Erika Jayne had also been in controversial dramas as in 2020 she was told to stop selling her designer clothes online when she was in need of recovering $2 million for missing funds owed to the families of victims of a deadly plane crash.
Erika Jayne also shared her opinions about all the dramas and ongoing legal troubles with her ex-husband during the reunion of the RHOBH show and she said, "I think what has happened to Tom here is that he's not mentally capable, and he's in sole control of his firm. And I think that it got away from him. I think that we're dealing with a man who is diminished capacity in control and not doing the right thing. Because if he stole the money, I'd like to know where it is. You know, that's the truth."
Erika Jayne was married to Tom Girardi in 2000 and she filed for divorce in 2020. She is also a mother of one adult son, Tommy whom she shares with her ex-husband Thomas Zizzo. She got married to him in 1991 and divorced him in 1996.