Erika Jayne has been named in a newly filed lawsuit alongside her estranged husband Tom Girardi amid allegations of illegal business practices.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 50, has been named in a legal filing by Edelson PC, along with her company EJ Global LLC, Girardi, 82, his law firm Girardi & Keese and his lenders, who are asking for a minimum of $55 Millions in damages after a jury trial, People reported Tuesday after reviewing the legal documents.
The law firm Edelson PC said in legal documents filed in the U.S. District Court – Northern District of California, San Francisco, that Jayne and others named in the lawsuit engaged in racketeering, conspiracy, deception, obtaining stolen property and aiding and abetting in concealment Illegally Obtained Funds and Goods, Reorganization and Consumer Remedies Act.
The Latest: Erika Jayne, 50, has been named in a newly filed lawsuit alongside her estranged husband Tom Girardi, 82, amid allegations of illegal business practices. She was photographed at an Oscars party in LA last month
The Atlanta-born reality star acted as “frontwoman” for the unlawful “scheme” perpetrated by Girardi and his associates, Edelson PC told the court as she “sold to the world (including unsuspecting customers) that Girardi Keese successfully was”. about her “significant public platform” as a star in the popular Bravo series.
Jayne “showed a nationwide showroom of the money they stole from Real Housewives,” Edelson told PC in court, adding that she continues to “lie about her own involvement and is trying to help Tom and the others get away with it.” . ‘
Jayne “made the cynical decision to use the scandal to further her career and stay relevant in the tabloids, which means more exposure and a bigger paycheck for her next season of appearances on Housewives,” the law firm said in court documents.
Edelson PC told the court that new details about Girardi & Keese were like “a story out of a John Grisham novel,” adding that it was “little more than a criminal enterprise masquerading as a law firm,” the “biggest criminal racketeering companies” operates in the history of plaintiff law.
Edelson PC firm named Girardi, 82, his law firm Girardi & Keese, Jayne, their firm EJ Global LLC and his lenders in the lawsuit are seeking at least $55 million in damages in a court filing. He was photographed in LA in 2018
The lawsuit alleges Jayne continues to lie about her own involvement and is trying to help Tom and the others get away with alleged acts of fraud and embezzlement
“All in all, more than $100 million was stolen from the firm’s clients, associate counsel, vendors and many others unfortunate enough to do business with the firm.”
Edelson PC said in legal documents that Girardi & Keese’s “outward-looking success was built on a house of cards” as it “siphoned off millions to fund Tom and Erika’s all-consuming spending needs — to fund a lifestyle that was as lavish as Erika a cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Jayne and Girardi, according to Edelson’s PC filing, “played the role of flaunting their wealth and the fact that Tom was a powerful attorney who courted celebrities, judges and politicians alike … but that money wasn’t paid by the firm.” earned or by Tom, but stolen: by co-counsel, by salespeople with long-overdue bills, and—by far the most unforgivable thing for a lawyer—by the firm’s own aggrieved clients.’
Edelson PC founder and CEO Jay Edelson told the outlet in a statement that “it will take time to fully unravel the decades-old scam at Tom’s company,” but he’s confident his firm can prove that Girardi & Keese it was operating as a criminal enterprise.
Jayne filed for divorce from Girardi in November 2020 after 21 years of marriage, shortly before filing the first lawsuit in Illinois. The former couple was spotted on RHOBH
Jayne was pictured at an event in Universal City, California on Sunday
“We understand that many of the individuals we have identified, including Erika and Tom’s partners, have focused on a campaign of lies, misinformation and victimization. While these tactics can work well at a RHOBH reunion show, it’s a disaster in court.
Jayne was originally named with her estranged spouse in the December 2020 class action lawsuit filed by Edelson PC accusing them of fraud and embezzlement related to funds intended for victims of the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash , in which all 189 people on board died. In January, she was released from the pending lawsuit against Girardi in Illinois.
Jayne filed for divorce from Girardi in November 2020 after 21 years of marriage shortly before filing the first lawsuit.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to end my marriage to Tom Girardi,” she said at the time. “This is not a move to be taken lightly or lightly. I have great love and respect for Tom and for our years and the life we have built together.
Girardi has since lived in a nursing home after being diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s and was placed in a conservatory by his brother Robert.