Disbarred Attorney Tom Girardi Found Guilty of Wire Fraud After Embezzling Millions from Clients

Girardi, who is separated from his wife, 'Real Housewives' star Erika Jayne, will be sentenced in December

Disbarred former personal injury lawyer Tom Girardi has been found guilty in federal court of embezzling more than $15 million from his clients over several years.

Girardi, 85, of the former Los Angeles law firm Girardi Keese, was convicted on four counts of wire fraud following a 13-day trial, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a release obtained by PEOPLE. He was previously indicted in the Central District of California in February 2023.

Prosecutors say Girardi's scheme lasted over a span of 10 years, from 2010 to 2020.

Related: What to Know About Tom Girardi and the Charges Against the Disgraced Former Lawyer

“Tom Girardi built celebrity status and lured in victims by falsely portraying himself as a ‘Champion of Justice,’” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in the DOJ's statement. “In reality, he was a Robin-Hood-in-reverse, stealing from the needy to support of a lavish, Hollywood lifestyle. Today’s verdict shows that the game is up – we can all now see this defendant for what he was and the victims he callously betrayed.”

Girardi is married to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Girardi, though the couple have been engaged in divorce proceedings for the past few years.

In 2022, PEOPLE previously reported, Girardi moved into a "restricted memory care unit," having been diagnosed with dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's the year prior.

Related: What to Know About Tom Girardi and the Charges Against the Disgraced Former Lawyer

His brother, Robert Girardi, had previously been named the official conservator for Girardi and his estate in July 2021.

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Before his legal woes, Girardi made a name for himself as a medical malpractice attorney. He famously took on Pacific Gas and Electric in a class-action lawsuit in 1993, a case that inspired the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts.

Girardi married Erika in 2000, though she filed for divorce in 2020. Girardi was disbarred in California in 2022.

Prosecutors say Girardi is set to be sentenced in December and could face up to 20 years in prison for each count.

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