7 Shocking Realities Of Erika Girardi And Husband Tom Girardi’s Life After His 2025 Prison Sentence

The dramatic saga of Erika Girardi and her estranged husband, Tom Girardi, continues to unfold with major, unprecedented legal and personal developments in late 2025. What began as a high-profile divorce filing by the *Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH)* star in 2020 has spiraled into a complex web of bankruptcy, wire fraud charges, and a massive $25 million civil lawsuit that continues to hang over the reality television personality. The most significant recent update, confirmed in June 2025, is the sentencing of the once-powerful attorney, Tom Girardi, to a substantial federal prison term, marking a definitive end to his career and a new chapter for Erika.

The public perception of Erika Girardi's involvement in her husband's alleged financial crimes—which include stealing millions from clients, including burn victims and the widows and orphans of plane crash victims—has been a central theme in the media and on her reality show. As of December 2025, Erika is navigating a complicated legal landscape: successfully avoiding one major trial while preparing for another, all while attempting to move forward with her personal life, despite the shocking reality that she remains legally married to a convicted felon.

Erika Girardi & Tom Girardi: A Complete Biographical Profile

The relationship between Erika Girardi and Thomas Vincent Girardi was one of Hollywood's most unconventional and talked-about pairings, defined by a 32-year age gap and a lavish lifestyle that was heavily featured on reality television. Their union, which lasted over two decades, is now remembered for its dramatic, controversial dissolution amid a massive financial scandal.

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• Erika Girardi (Erika Jayne)
  • Full Name: Erika Chahoy (later Girardi)
  • Born: July 10, 1971
  • Career: Singer-songwriter (known professionally as Erika Jayne, famous for dance-pop hits like "Pretty Mess"), Actress, and Television Personality (*The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills* cast member since 2015).
  • First Marriage: Thomas Zizzo (divorced, has one son, Tommy Zizzo).
  • Net Worth (2025): Estimated at approximately $5 million, derived from her entertainment career and despite significant legal costs.
• Thomas Vincent Girardi (Tom Girardi)
  • Born: June 3, 1939
  • Career: Former prominent American attorney, co-founder of the now-defunct Los Angeles law firm, Girardi & Keese. Known for winning major mass tort and personal injury cases.
  • Legal Status (2025): Convicted of wire fraud and client theft; sentenced to 87 months (over 7 years) in federal prison in June 2025.
  • Marriage to Erika: Married in 2000 after meeting while she was working at a restaurant. Erika filed for divorce in November 2020.

The Shocking 2025 Verdicts: Tom Girardi’s 7-Year Prison Sentence

The legal hammer finally dropped on Tom Girardi in 2025, providing a significant, if painful, measure of closure for the victims of the Girardi Keese financial fraud. The former legal powerhouse, once a celebrated figure in the Los Angeles legal community, was sentenced to a lengthy federal prison term for his crimes.

A Disgraced Lawyer and Client Theft

The charges against Thomas Vincent Girardi centered on allegations that he misappropriated millions of dollars from his clients, including funds meant for the families of victims of a plane crash and others involved in mass tort litigation. The firm, Girardi & Keese, was forced into Chapter 7 bankruptcy, revealing a staggering depth of financial distress and alleged misconduct.

In June 2025, following a conviction for wire fraud, Tom Girardi was sentenced to 87 months—over seven years—in federal prison. This sentence was a landmark moment, confirming the severity of the client theft and fraud that had been the subject of public speculation and reality television drama for years. Furthermore, the disgraced attorney faces another trial in Chicago in 2025 on similar charges of fraud, ensuring his legal troubles are far from over.

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Erika Jayne’s Legal Labyrinth: The $25 Million Lawsuit and Avoiding a Fraud Trial

While Tom Girardi is now incarcerated, Erika Jayne's legal battles continue to define her life and career. Her involvement, or lack thereof, in her husband’s financial misdeeds has been the core question of the ongoing litigation. The year 2025 brought both a major victory and the announcement of a daunting, high-stakes trial.

The Appeals Court Victory in January 2025

In a significant legal win for the reality star, an appeals court ruled in January 2025 that Erika Girardi would avoid a trial alleging she aided and abetted in the fraud related to a separate bankruptcy case. This ruling was a massive relief for Erika, as it removed one of the most serious legal threats she faced, allowing her to put a specific set of fraud allegations behind her.

The Looming $25 Million Showdown

Despite the win, Erika is still facing a massive civil lawsuit brought by the bankruptcy trustee overseeing the Girardi Keese estate. This lawsuit, seeking to recoup approximately $25 million, alleges that Tom Girardi's law firm used funds stolen from clients to cover Erika's personal expenses, luxury items, and her "Erika Jayne" entertainment career between 2007 and 2020.

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The lawsuit claims the money was "fraudulently transferred" to her. The most recent updates indicate that Erika is headed to trial in February 2026 to address this $25 million claim. The outcome of this trial will determine whether she is legally required to pay back a substantial portion of the money she received during her marriage, a verdict that could drastically impact her financial future and estimated $5 million net worth.

Still Legally Married? Erika Girardi’s Surprising Relationship Status and New Dating Life

One of the most surprising and often overlooked facts about the couple is that, despite her filing for divorce in November 2020, Erika Girardi and Tom Girardi remain legally married as of late 2025. The divorce proceedings have been stalled and complicated by the sprawling bankruptcy and fraud cases, leaving Erika in a bizarre legal limbo.

The legal tie has not stopped the *RHOBH* star from moving forward personally. Erika has confirmed that she is actively dating again, choosing to re-enter the dating pool despite the ongoing legal and financial turmoil. She has been linked to new partners, including a mention of dating Hollywood bodyguard John McPhee on her podcast, signaling a clear effort to establish a life separate from the shadow of Tom Girardi and the Girardi Keese scandal.

Adding another layer of intrigue, a lawsuit filed in November 2025 claimed that Erika Jayne was actually "instructed" to split from Tom Girardi, suggesting that her divorce filing may not have been entirely her own decision. This allegation further complicates the narrative of their separation, fueling public curiosity about the true circumstances of their dramatic split.

The story of Erika and Tom Girardi is far from over. With Tom Girardi serving a lengthy prison term and Erika Jayne facing a major $25 million trial in 2026, the public will continue to watch for the final legal and financial resolution of one of Hollywood's most scandalous divorces.