Disgraced Erin Brockovich Lawyer, 86, Begins Prison Sentence

Tom Girardi, once a celebrated legal powerhouse and high-rolling figure of Beverly Hills society, has officially traded his designer suits for a prison jumpsuit. The 86-year-old disbarred attorney turned himself in Thursday afternoon to begin serving a 7-year federal prison sentence for orchestrating one of the most disgraceful fraud schemes in recent memory.

A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed exclusively that Girardi is now in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Los Angeles. Online records already list him as an inmate.

Girardi was convicted of stealing more than $15 million from vulnerable clients, including widows, orphans, and the families of victims of the 2018 Lion Air crash — money that was supposed to help rebuild their shattered lives. Instead, it bankrolled the ultra-luxe lifestyle he shared with his estranged wife, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne.

“This man preyed on the pain of others and used their tragedy to fund private jets and penthouse parties,” said L.A.-based attorney Myra Franklin, who has followed the case closely. “This sentence is long overdue.”

Girardi’s sentencing on June 3 — which ironically fell on his 86th birthday — also came with a $2.3 million restitution order and a $35,000 fine. But for many of his victims, no amount of money can undo the damage.

“It wasn’t just the theft,” said Anthony Rahman, whose family lost a loved one in the Lion Air disaster. “It was the betrayal. We trusted him.”

In a desperate last-ditch effort to avoid prison, Girardi’s legal team painted him as a man suffering from dementia and emotional decline. They requested he be placed in a long-term care facility instead. But a judge rejected that in early 2024, declaring him competent to stand trial.

“Dementia does not excuse defrauding grieving families,” the judge reportedly said during the competency hearing.

Psychiatric evaluations submitted to the court did note that Girardi showed signs of late-onset Alzheimer’s, including memory loss and confusion. One physician, Dr. Nathan Lavid, testified that Girardi had “moderate” delusions and impaired concentration. But the court remained unconvinced.

Girardi’s downfall has been as dramatic as his former life was extravagant. At his peak, he was a revered courtroom figure who helped win the real-life Erin Brockovich case. But his law firm, Girardi & Keese, eventually became a house of cards built on theft and deception — collapsing in scandal and bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Erika Jayne, 54, has tried to distance herself from the wreckage. She filed for divorce in 2020, shortly before Girardi’s legal troubles exploded. Though her name surfaced in several civil suits, she’s largely been cleared of wrongdoing. She’s now reportedly dating retired Army Special Ops veteran John “Shrek” McPhee and continuing her reality TV and music career.

Still, her estranged husband’s crimes have left a lasting stain.

As for Girardi, he’ll spend the remainder of his twilight years in a prison cell, far from the glitzy world of Hollywood lawyers and lavish fundraisers he once dominated.

“Justice moves slowly,” said Franklin, “but it finally moved.”