Erika Jayne meets with victims ex Tom Girardi allegedly defrauded
Erika Jayne is making efforts to reconcile with those whom her estranged ex-husband, Tom Girardi, allegedly cheated out of settlement money. TheFantasyTimes has confirmed that the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star met with multiple individuals affected by Girardi’s actions. Jayne expressed her intentions, stating, “I came here with an open heart to listen to what’s going on, hear what happened, and figure out how to move forward together in a way that’s beneficial for all victims.” Eyewitnesses reported that Jayne arrived at the Valley Inn Restaurant in Los Angeles dressed conservatively for a Paul’s Ice Cream event on Sunday. The event was organized by Kathy Ruigomez and Kimberly Archie, the latter being a former employee of Girardi’s now-defunct law firm, Girardi Keese. During her visit, Jayne was also seen filming an interview for an upcoming documentary in partnership with the Los Angeles Times. Witnesses described the atmosphere as serious but engaging, and Jayne appeared to be in good spirits. Kathy Ruigomez, the mother of burn victim Joseph Ruigomez, whose settlement money was allegedly swindled by Girardi, was also present at the event. Jayne posed for photos with Josie Hernandez, Kimberly Archie, Kathy Ruigomez, and Nancy Marston, all of whom were impacted by Girardi’s actions. In a documentary, Joseph’s sister Jamie expressed her initial belief that Girardi could win their case but later discovered his true nature. Another individual, Josie Hernandez, had sought legal counsel from Girardi in 2014 after experiencing complications from surgeries. Despite her involvement, she did not believe Jayne was involved in any wrongdoing. The documentary featured a voicemail from Girardi to Hernandez, in which he claimed to be working diligently to resolve the matter. However, it was later revealed that the law firm had received her settlement money prior to the voicemail. Nancy Marston, another victim, also attended the event. Court documents suggest that Jayne received substantial payments from 2012 to 2021 as part of a settlement case involving her lottery winnings. Jayne has consistently denied any knowledge of Girardi’s alleged crimes. Girardi was indicted in February for embezzling millions of dollars and pleaded not guilty to the charges. After her conversation with Jayne, Marston stated that the two were in a good place and expressed hope that they could support each other and the other victims. Kimberly Archie commended Jayne for her efforts and believed it was irrational to think that Jayne had knowledge of Girardi’s actions. Jayne previously expressed empathy for Girardi’s alleged victims, including those affected by the Lion Air Flight 610 crash. Girardi, who now suffers from Alzheimer’s and dementia, is accused of embezzling over $15 million from his clients. Jayne filed for divorce from Girardi in November 2020, and they were subsequently sued for embezzlement related to the Lion Air Flight 610. Jayne denied the charges and was eventually dismissed from the lawsuit. However, she still faces other legal challenges, including a $50 million racketeering lawsuit and a $2.1 million “aiding and abetting” lawsuit. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Jayne remains optimistic about the future and believes that the process will take time. Recent legal filings indicate that Girardi’s memory functions have further declined.
Erika Jayne is trying to make amends.
TheFantasyTimes exclusively confirms the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star met with multiple individuals whom her estranged ex, Tom Girardi, allegedly cheated out of settlement money.
“I came here with an open heart to listen to what’s going on, hear what happened and figure out how to be a part of how to move forward together in a way that’s beneficial for all victims,” Jayne tells us.
The reality star, 52, was dressed conservatively when she arrived at the Valley Inn Restaurant in Los Angeles for a Paul’s Ice Cream event Sunday, according to an eyewitness.
The company was founded by Kathy Ruigomez and Kimberly Archie, a former employee at Girardi’s now-defunct law firm, Girardi Keese.
Jayne, who donned a pink floral blouse and black trousers, was seen filming a sit-down interview for an upcoming documentary in partnership with the Los Angeles Times.
“They looked very serious but engaged during their discussion,” the eyewitness tells TheFantasyTimes, noting that the “Pretty Mess” author appeared to be in “good spirits.”
Kathy is the mother of burn victim Joseph Ruigomez, whose settlement money was allegedly swindled by Girardi.
She previously claimed her family was owed $11 million from a 2020 lawsuit after her son was critically injured in the San Bruno gas pipeline explosion.
Their story garnered national attention after they were featured in Hulu’s 2021 documentary “The Housewife and the Hustler” about Jayne and Girardi’s legal troubles.
The mother and son accused Girardi of misappropriating the funds from Joseph’s settlement.
“We thought he could win [the case for us],” Joseph’s sister Jamie said in the documentary.
“We didn’t know how much of a snake he would be along the way.”
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Jayne also spoke with Josie Hernandez, who reached out to Girardi for legal counsel in 2014 after becoming ill following several failed surgeries to get an implant for “incontinence issues.”
Us Weekly reported Girardi Keese settled the case for $135,000, but Hernandez claimed in 2019 that she still hadn’t seen a dime.
In an August 2020 voicemail played by Hernandez in the Hulu documentary, Girardi told her, “I don’t want you mad at me. I’m working like a dog to try and get this thing resolved. … I’m a good guy, by the way.”
However, after Hernandez filed a complaint with the bar, she confirmed that the law firm received her settlement money three months prior to the voicemail.
Nancy Marston, a third woman impacted by Girardi’s alleged misdeeds, was also at the event Sunday. According to court documents, Jayne allegedly received nearly $250,000 in payments from 2012 to 2021 in a settlement case involving the former actress’ lottery winnings.
The Bravolebrity has denied having knowledge about her estranged husband’s alleged crimes.
After her conversation with Jayne, Marston — who doesn’t consider herself a “victim” — tells TheFantasyTimes that the two women are in a “good place.” She will further detail her involvement with Girardi in her upcoming book, “The Serpent’s Tooth,” out Aug. 15.
“I think we’re moving on, and I think that maybe we could help each other,” Marston says. “We can help some of the victims.”
Meanwhile, Archie applauded Jayne’s effort in reaching out to the victims, telling TheFantasyTimes, “I think that it’s even difficult for some attorneys and people who prosecute these kind of cases to understand it. So I think it would be irrational to think Erika knew.
“I never thought she stole the money or anything like that. My only thing was really just how it came across to the victims, and now this erases any of that obviously because she’s making a concerted effort to make the victims feel better.”
Jayne previously told TheFantasyTimes that she has “empathy” for her estranged husband’s alleged victims, including the widows and orphans who lost loved ones in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash.
“Of course I have empathy for them,” she told TheFantasyTimes last year. “I had empathy for them then, and I have empathy for them now. And I trust that they will be taken care of.”
Girardi, 84, who is now living with Alzheimer’s and dementia in a memory care facility, allegedly embezzled more than $15 million from his clients.
One month after Jayne filed for divorce from the disgraced attorney in November 2020, the former couple was sued by Edelson PC for embezzlement related to the Lion Air Flight 610.
The “RHOBH” star denied the charges against her and was later dismissed from the fraud lawsuit. However, she is still facing a $50 million racketeering lawsuit and a $2.1 million “aiding and abetting” lawsuit.
“I like where I’m going to end. It’s going to be fine,” the singer previously told TheFantasyTimes.
“Even if I didn’t feel that way, I’d still tell you I felt good about it. But I really do. It’s going to be just fine,” she continued.
“I do want to say this: This is a very long process. And I think that people need to understand these are very complex problems, so they don’t get wrapped up right away. And that’s one thing I think people have misunderstood. I said this would be a long time and I meant it.”
One of the most recent legal filings from October 2022 indicated Girardi, who is under a conservatorship controlled by his brother, had experienced “further decline in his memory functions.”
