’s wire fraud trial has commenced.
The 85-year-old ex of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star arrived at the Los Angeles federal courthouse on Tuesday, August 6, for the beginning of jury selection. At the end of the day, a pool of 12 jurors and three alternates were selected with lawyers delivering opening statements. The first witness was called to testify on Wednesday, August 7.
Tom was indicted by the Justice Department in February 2023 and charged with five counts of wire fraud. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The disbarred attorney and colleague were accused of fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars that belonged to Girardi Keese legal clients between 2010 and 2020. Both Tom and Kamon pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.
“Mr. Girardi and Mr. Kamon stand accused of engaging in a widespread scheme to steal from their clients and lie to them to cover up the fraud,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a press release at the time. “In doing so, they allegedly preyed on the very people who trusted and relied upon them the most — their clients. Actions like the ones alleged in the indictment bring disrepute upon the legal profession and will not be tolerated by my office.”
Ahead of the August trial, Tom faced a mental competency hearing following his Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnoses in 2021. Us Weekly confirmed in January that Tom was declared competent, meaning the trial would proceed as planned.
Tom’s legal troubles began in November 2020 when Erika, 53, filed for divorce after 20 years of marriage. One month later, they were both named in a fraud and embezzlement lawsuit for allegedly misusing $2 million in settlement funds meant for the families of Lion Air Flight 610 plane crash victims. Erika was also accused of having prior knowledge of Tom’s actions as his law firm handled her finances for a decade. The Bravo star fervently denied her involvement.
While Tom and Erika have yet to finalize their divorce (she’s claimed it’s difficult to get divorced from someone with dementia), they have been living separate lives.
“I’ve moved past the last three years, but I don’t know if others will let me move past,” Erika exclusively told Us in October 2023. “I still have legal things that are tying up, and they will take time because that’s the legal process. But I want to move on. … Every time someone asks me about Tom Girardi or something like this, you realize you’re cutting open a healing wound and you’re stabbing around in it, and that hurts.”
She added, “I still will heal. It’s a process. Grief all the way around is a whole process that comes in waves. But what I am doing is I’m choosing to move on. And I wish those around me would allow me to do so.”
