The drama surrounding The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has taken a darker turn as Erika Jayne’s former husband, once-renowned attorney Tom Girardi, has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison. The reality TV star, known for her bold persona and high-octane performances, is said to be devastated by the outcome—though she continues to distance herself from his criminal actions.
Girardi, 86, was a legal titan in Los Angeles before his fall from grace. After years of legal proceedings, he was found guilty by a jury in August 2024 of four counts of wire fraud, having stolen millions from clients—including widows, orphans, and burn victims.
While Erika Jayne, 52, has never been criminally charged, she has found herself embroiled in the civil aftermath. The bankruptcy trustee for Girardi’s now-defunct law firm is suing her for $24 million—money they allege he transferred to her over the years. She has repeatedly denied any knowledge of wrongdoing, insisting her only involvement was as a wife unaware of the depth of Girardi’s financial deceit.
Attorney Jim Wilkes, who represents Jayne in an unrelated Florida case and was once close friends with Girardi, spoke candidly to The U.S. Sun about how the sentence has affected her.
“Erika spent many years with Tom, she is experiencing a wave of emotions,” he said.
“I’m sure she’s emotionally destroyed, but there’s a part of her that’s shut off and compartmentalized.
If someone you loved and trusted, and everyone else told you to trust, broke every bit of trust you had in them and didn’t even tell you, covered it up, how would you feel?”
Jayne filed for divorce in November 2020 after 21 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Since then, she has maintained her distance, claiming she is no longer in contact with Girardi and expressing sadness over his decline.
Girardi was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in March 2021 and placed under conservatorship that July. Despite the diagnosis, he was deemed competent to stand trial.
Wilkes believes that while Girardi may suffer from dementia, he was aware enough to understand his actions and the illegality of them.
“I don’t think Erika has a particular opinion over whether he goes to a treatment center or prison, the court makes that decision and she wasn’t a part of this process,” Wilkes said.
“He’s been charged and sentenced to prison, that’s what happens to people who do this.
Am I happy about it? No. I’m not happy to see anyone suffer.
But Tom was a prominent figure and he did some stupid stuff, he deserves to be punished for what he did.”
He didn’t mince words about the severity of Girardi’s crimes or the consequences:
“It looks like he did a lot for a long time. He lost everything.
You have to deal with the consequences, the system is not perfect but I’m sure he’ll be in minimum security as he’s no threat, but prison is still prison. You can’t get up and go to the refrigerator.
If he’s aware of being punished for something he shouldn’t do, then that’s what prison is for.”
While Jayne and Girardi never had children together, she has a son from a previous relationship, and he has adult children from earlier marriages. The public unraveling of Girardi’s life has been especially poignant for Jayne, who reflected on his decline in health during a RHOBH “After Show” segment, calling it “very sad.”
As the legal fallout continues, Erika Jayne remains a polarizing figure—defending herself publicly while trying to rebuild both her personal and professional life in the shadow of one of the most notorious legal scandals in recent memory.
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