The Pretty Mess Of It All: Erika Jayne, Tom Girardi's Legal Woes Explained In New ABC Documentary, 'The Housewife And The Hustler'
The life of the "The Pretty Mess" just got a whole lot messier.
Erika Jayne (real named Erika Girardi) and Tom Girardi's legal scandals will be explained and dissected in a brand new ABC News Originals documentary, The Housewife And The Hustler, hitting Hulu on June 14.
According to the press release, the doc goes inside the real-life legal drama facing the The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills superstar's estranged husband. "Tom Girardi. Once considered a crusader of justice, Girardi now stands accused of embezzling from the victims he swore to protect," it boldy states.
In the trailer for the revealing TV event, which dropped on Wednesday, June 2, legal experts, pop culture commentators and even those accusing the now barred attorney of embezzlement, are featured dishing about the scandals the couple have found themselves tangled up in.
"Tom Girardi was L.A. law — so powerful, " Chris Darden, one of the famed prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder, comments in the clip.
"They were just blowing money left and right" another voiceover states, referring to the ways in which the two frivolous spent their cash, often heavily featured on RHOBH.
Heather McDonald of "The Juicy Scoop" podcast is also seen asking what many fans have been thinking: "I think the biggest question is: Did she know?."
The documentary is set to feature voicemail messages, court records and a never-before-aired deposition tape of Girardi, according to ABC News.
- 'Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills' Star Erika Jayne & Estranged Husband Tom Girardi's Tumultuous Year Of Legal & Personal Woes : Photos
- 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Star Erika Jayne Requests Gag Order In Ongoing Legal Battle
- Erika Jayne Says Tom Girardi Divorce Is 'Complicated' And 'Difficult To Explain'
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The mountain of shocking claims against the ex-husband and wife duo started to come to light after they announced their divorce in November of 2020 after 21 years of marriage. At the time, the "Expensive" singer stated that the divorce was not "a step taken lightly or easily."
According to court documents, the 49 year-old Bravo star "sought spousal support and requested the court to terminate its ability to award spousal support to Tom." The 81 year-old "responded by asking the court to terminate its ability to award spousal support to Erika" and blatantly "requested that she pay his attorney fees and costs."
In December, the real scandal broke when the couple was sued for using their divorce to embezzle money and the longtime lawyer and his firm, Girardi & Keese (GK), were held in civil contempt and had their assets frozen by a judge. This was soon followed by another lawsuit aimed at the legal titan from his partner, Robert Keese, and fellow business partners, Robert Finnerty and Jill O'Callahan, to dissolve their venture together.
According to a formal complaint filed by the three, "Tom never paid them approximately $315,000 in income, instead keeping the money for himself, and that he took out loans against their property without their knowledge for his own personal gain, benefit and use."
That lawsuit was then followed by the revelation that Girardi had been diagnosed with dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's disease and a mental assessment was conducted. His brother Robert Girardi was granted a temporary conservatorship from February until March 30 of 2021.
Girardi's team proceeded to get Dr. Nathan Lavid, a Long Beach forensic and clinical psychiatrist, to write a sworn declaration submitted to the Superior Court of California on March 10 stating that the lawyer was medically unfit to attend any court proceedings "for the foreseeable future."
