‘No Evidence’: Erika Jayne Ripped to Shreds After Alleging Fraud in Ex Tom Girardi’s Bankruptcy
Aug. 10 2023, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne’s claim that fraud was potentially committed as part of her estranged husband’s bankruptcy were brushed off in court, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Jayne’s ex, Tom Girardi, and his law firm Girardi Keese were forced into bankruptcy in 2020. The once-respected lawyer was accused of running his company like a Ponzi scheme.
Many clients claimed Girardi secured them a financial settlement but had excuses when it came time to pay out the money. Earlier this year, prosecutors charged Jayne’s husband with
wire fraud. In court documents, Girardi and his associates were accused of embezzling $18 million from clients between 2010 and 2020.
As part of the bankruptcy, Jayne was sued for the return of $25 million Girardi’s firm spent to pay the bills for the reality star’s company, EJ Global. The case was brought by the trustee who was appointed to manage Girardi’s law firm's Chapter 11.
Jayne has denied having any knowledge of her husband’s alleged misdeeds.
Recently, the trustee asked for permission to make certain payments to a series of creditors owed money from Girardi Keese. One of the proposed recipients was a man named Joseph Ruigomez.
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Ruigomez hired Girardi to represent him in a case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) following a 2010 gas pipeline explosion.
Ruigomez lost his girlfriend in the incident and had over 90 percent of his body burned. PG&E agreed to pay him $11.5 million. However, he claimed Girardi failed to pay out the money. Ruigomez has been fighting to be paid in the bankruptcy proceedings.
In her recent motion, Jayne said while she has “great sympathy” for Ruigomez, she said he’s already been paid millions.
Her lawyer said, “The Ruigomez creditors, while wholly deserving, already have received tens of millions of dollars in cash and other value from GK. The Trustee should not be intimidated by threats of continuing interest on the claims of the Ruigomez creditors, if further investigation would show that additional payments to them would amount to a windfall exceeding their actual loss. Many other legitimate creditor victims have not received a penny.”
Ruigomez fired back demanding Jayne’s attempt to delay his payment be shut down. He argued that the reality star has previously made claims of alleged fraud without any evidence to back up her claims.
Now, the trustee has asked that Jayne’s motion be denied. They argued that the RHOBH star opposition was “not supported by a shred of evidence or any law.”
Further, she said Jayne’s arguments are “without merit.”
“As to the Ruigomez Creditors— whom Erika now argues are being paid too much—Erika offers no evidence in support of her theory that they have been overpaid. While Erika raises a number of allegations in her Opposition, each allegation is entirely devoid of any evidentiary support,” the trustee said.
The judge has yet to rule.
For his part, Girardi was diagnosed with dementia and was moved into a senior living facility.