'RHOBH' Star Erika Jayne Demands Damages For 'Legal Error' That Led To Sale Of Her $750k Diamond Earrings
Mar. 14 2023, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne has demanded she is awarded damages for her diamond earrings being wrongfully seized as part of her husband Tom Girardi’s bankruptcy, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Jayne believes the jewelry should have never been taken by the trustee presiding over Girardi’s law firm bankruptcy.
As we previously reported, Girardi and his firm were pushed into Chapter 7 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 in a legal matter — only to have excuses when it came time to pay out the funds.
Last month, Girardi was charged with five counts of wire fraud. He is facing 20 years in prison. Prosecutors believe he embezzled millions from ex-clients including orphans, widows, and a fire burn victim.
Jayne and Girardi were married for 20 years. The reality star filed for divorce in November 2020, but the case was paused until the bankruptcy are finalized.
Jayne has been dragged into numerous legal battles involving her estranged husband. The trustee sued Jayne for the return of $25 million that Girardi’s firm used to pay her company EJ Global’s bills.
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The RHOBH star has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and claimed she had no knowledge of any nefarious activity.
As part of the legal battle, the trustee claimed they uncovered financial records that proved Girardi pushed Jayne a set of diamond earrings with his client’s money.
The trustee said Girardi paid $750k for the set. Jayne argued that the earrings should NOT be taken from her.
The reality star argued she believed her husband was a successful lawyer when she received the gift — making the point she had no reason to believe he was in debt. The court ended up ordering the jewelry to be sold off at a public auction.
The earrings sold for $250k. However, Jayne’s appeal has continued on in court.
In newly filed documents, the RHOBH star said that she’s not fighting for the return of the jewelry that has already been sold to a third party.
Instead, Jayne said she believes she’s owed damages for the earrings being improperly taken from her. The Bravo star pointed out the trustee has $18 million in cash in the estate.
Jayne said if she wins on appeal the trustee should pay her damages from that pot. Her lawyer wrote, “Ms. Girardi has elected and is entitled to money damages based on the proceeds of the sale of a marital gift received by her in 2007 that was taken from her and sold by the Trustee based on the legally erroneous Turnover Order.”
A judge has yet to rule.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Jayne recently revealed in court she owes the. California Franchise Tax Board a total of $2.2 million in back taxes. "I do not have the ability to pay," she wrote in a declaration.