LOS ANGELES – Thomas Vincent Girardi, the disbarred personal injury attorney once celebrated as a champion for plaintiffs, was found guilty today by a jury for orchestrating a years-long scheme to embezzle millions of dollars from his own clients. These victims, some suffering from severe physical injuries, were awaiting funds crucial for their medical treatments and recovery.
Girardi, 85, of Seal Beach, faced four counts of wire fraud and was convicted on all charges.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada condemned Girardi’s actions, stating, “Tom Girardi cultivated a celebrity persona and attracted victims by falsely presenting himself as a ‘Champion of Justice.’ In reality, he was the opposite, exploiting the vulnerable to fuel an extravagant Hollywood lifestyle. Today’s verdict exposes the truth – this defendant is a fraud who heartlessly betrayed those who trusted him.”
Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office, emphasized the severity of Girardi’s betrayal. “Mr. Girardi preyed on his clients’ misfortunes on a massive scale,” Hatcher said. “These individuals sought his help during their most traumatic times, entrusting him with their well-being. He violated that trust to steal from them and finance his lavish lifestyle. He will now face the repercussions of his deceitful actions.”
Echoing this sentiment, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office stated, “Clients retained Mr. Girardi believing he would be their advocate. Instead, he deceived them and stole their money to fund his opulent lifestyle. Girardi strategically promoted himself in the media as a legal luminary with an unwavering commitment to justice. However, the clients he wronged for years have finally received the justice they deserve through today’s verdict.”
Evidence presented during the 13-day trial revealed the extent of Girardi’s fraudulent activities. As the head of the now-defunct law firm Girardi Keese and once a prominent figure in California’s legal sphere, Girardi systematically misappropriated and embezzled millions from client trust accounts. His scheme centered on stealing settlement funds intended for Girardi Keese clients, many of whom were accident victims with serious injuries who were entitled to this compensation.
Between October 2010 and late 2020, Girardi employed a web of lies to conceal his failure to pay clients. He instructed a law firm employee to make payments to previously defrauded clients or cover unrelated expenses, effectively using new victims’ funds to placate older ones in a Ponzi-like scheme. Girardi routinely sent deceptive communications to clients, falsely denying that settlements had been paid and fabricating reasons why Girardi Keese could not release funds. These fabricated obstacles included nonexistent tax obligations, bankruptcy claims, the need for nonexistent judicial authorizations, and other invented debts.
Girardi illicitly transferred tens of millions of dollars from his law firm’s operating account to cover personal and unrelated business expenses. This included over $25 million directed to EJ Global, a company linked to his then-wife Erika Jayne’s entertainment career. Millions more were squandered on private jet travel, expensive jewelry, luxury vehicles, and memberships at exclusive golf and social clubs, all funded by stolen client money.
By the close of 2020, Girardi and his law firm were overwhelmed by legal challenges stemming from his long-term theft of client funds. Girardi Keese was forced into involuntary bankruptcy, marking the collapse of his once-prestigious legal empire. The State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022, effectively ending his career as a “Girardi Lawyer.”
United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton has scheduled Girardi’s sentencing for December 6. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of the four wire fraud counts.
Christopher Kazuo Kamon, 50, formerly the chief financial officer at Girardi Keese, also faces charges in connection with the scheme. Kamon, who was arrested in The Bahamas in November 2022, awaits trial in January 2025. He is accused of multiple fraud counts for allegedly aiding and abetting Girardi’s client fraud and embezzling millions from the law firm for personal gain. Kamon has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody.
Girardi, Kamon, and David R. Lira, Girardi’s son-in-law and a former lawyer at Girardi Keese, are also facing separate federal fraud charges in Chicago. That trial is scheduled for March 3, 2025, indicating the widespread legal ramifications of Girardi’s actions as a “girardi lawyer.”
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI conducted the investigation into this case, with assistance from the Office of the United States Trustee.
Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section and Ali Moghaddas of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force are prosecuting the case.
