Tom Girardi Sentenced for Ponzi Scheme, Faces More Charges

Disbarred celebrity attorney Tom Girardi, known for his role in the Erin Brockovich case and as the estranged husband of Erika Jayne, was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison for running a decade-long Ponzi scheme that embezzled nearly $20 million from vulnerable clients. U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton ordered Girardi, 86, to pay over $2.3 million in restitution and a $35,000 fine, and to surrender by July 17. The court rejected defense pleas citing Girardi’s dementia and physical ailments, declaring him competent and underscoring his abuse of client trust. Victims included families of the 2018 Lion Air crash and others who suffered catastrophic losses, many of whom never saw their settlement funds. Prosecutors condemned Girardi as a 'thief and a liar' who misused his legal stature for personal gain. Girardi's sentencing marks a major downfall for the once-prominent attorney, who also faces pending charges elsewhere.