Ex-Attorney Tom Girardi Hospitalized Ahead Mental Fitness Hearing

Tom Girardi, the 85-year-old former attorney convicted of wire fraud for a $15 million Ponzi scheme, was hospitalized due to liver dysfunction and missed a scheduled court hearing to discuss his mental health evaluation. Girardi underwent a six-week cognitive assessment at FMC Butner, a federal medical facility for inmates with special health needs, to determine if his mental decline warrants placement in a care facility rather than prison. Prosecutors seek a 14-year prison sentence, while his defense argues for lifelong care in a medical facility based on his cognitive impairment. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons submitted a 30-page evaluation that does not recommend further testing, and prosecutors contend that Girardi's mental condition does not justify hospitalization. The court hearing was postponed, with the judge expected to reschedule it and later set a sentencing date once Girardi's mental health status is clarified. The case highlights the legal and medical complexities in sentencing an elderly defendant with significant health issues.