“Disbarred Lawyer Tom Girardi Pleads Not Guilty to Embezzlement Charges”

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Barred attorney Tom Girardi pleaded not guilty on Monday on his behalf to charges of embezzling millions of dollars from some of the massive settlements he made during a once stellar career had won clients.

Girardi, 83, faces wire fraud charges in federal court in Los Angeles for allegedly stealing more than $15 million from clients including an Arizona widow whose husband was killed in a boating accident, a Los couple Angeles, who was injured in a car accident that left her son paralyzed, and a man who was badly burned in the 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion.

One of the nation’s most prominent attorneys, Girardi took on powerful corporations, film studios and Pacific Gas and Electric in a case that resulted in a $333 million settlement starring in the Julia Roberts film “Erin Brockovich.” from the year 2000 was presented.

But Girardi’s legal empire has collapsed and he faces mounting legal problems.

He lost his license to practice law last year over customer thefts, creditors from his bankrupt firm Girardi Keese are demanding more than $500 million, and he’s pending divorce from Erika Jayne, who starred in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

He no longer lived in a Pasadena mansion but in an assisted-living facility, where attorneys say he has Alzheimer’s and is under a court guardianship office.

Girardi also faces federal wire fraud charges in Chicago, where he is accused of stealing about $3 million from victims’ family members in a 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 people .

Public defenders in LA are seeking a mental competency assessment for Girardi, which will determine if he can hold up in court.

Girardi, wearing a purple V-neck sweater and blue shirt, appeared frail as he walked slowly into a federal courthouse in front of cameras. He was released on $250,000 bail.

Girardi faces charges in California and Illinois along with his company’s chief financial officer, Christopher Kamon, 49, who failed to appear in court Monday. He is incarcerated on a separate fraud count, accused of embezzling funds from a law firm to renovate two homes in the LA area, pay for shopping sprees and hire an escort.

Kamon is expected in a Chicago court on Tuesday. Girardi’s indictment there is scheduled for March 3.

Girardi’s son-in-law David Lira, 62, is also charged in the Chicago case and is scheduled to be indicted on Friday. His attorney said he would plead not guilty.

Brian Melley, The Associated Press

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