Just one month later, her estranged husband was faced with fraud and embezzlement claims, with one lawsuit accusing Jayne of filing for divorce to avoid dealing with legal consequences.
As Jayne continues to star on the show, fans are wondering how deep Jayne is truly involved with the scandal, and asking if she’ll even have to face jail time at some point.
It is my absolute wish to proceed through this process with respect and with the privacy that both Tom and I deserved.” According to her divorce filing, as obtained by PEOPLE, Jayne requested spousal support from her estranged husband and also requested Girardi to be forbidden from asking for spousal support from her.
After Girardi’s legal scandal came to light, Jayne denied reports that she divorced Girardi due to his legal issues or in an attempt to avoid embezzlement claims. Instead, in December, Jayne accused Girardi of having an affair with another woman, and shared what she purported to be text message screenshots between Girardi and his alleged mistress, which appear to date back to 2011, on Instagram.
The suit alleges that he embezzled money from settlements that were made to Illinois-based relatives of victims who died in the 2018 Lion Air plane crash off the coast of Indonesia.
While most of his former clients mainly target Girardi, Edelson PC mentioned Jayne in their lawsuit, alleging that Girardi “resorted to embezzling the proceeds of settlements that should have been directed to his clients …
The suit accuses Jayne of filing for divorce to skirt embezzlement claims, stating that it was “simply a sham attempt to fraudulently protect Tom and Erika’s money from those that seek to collect on debts owed by Tom and his law firm GK.” According to the Los Angeles Times, creditors evaluating Girardi’s finances have alleged that he used $20 million from his firm to fund their lifestyles and his estranged wife’s music career.
While no legal action has been filed against Jayne, Girardi has lost his license to practice law in California, and a judge froze all of his assets in December 2020 while he’s under investigation.
“My brother presently needs me to make all decisions related to this bankruptcy case, all legal matters in which he is presently involved, and also to make all decisions related to his personal matters, such as health decisions,” Robert said during a Feb.
Jayne’s divorce and the legal drama that followed will definitely be mentioned on the show, but it’s unclear exactly how much Jayne will open up or be able to divulge on-camera, considering how this is a legal matter.
When Garcelle Beauvais asked Jayne whether she had a “heads-up” about Girardi’s legal troubles, she slowly nods her head to indicate yes before saying, “No, I did not.” In another scene, she tells the ladies at a dinner table, “No one knows the answer but him,” referring to Girardi.
The doc includes interviews with some of Girardi’s accusers, including Joe Ruigomez, whose family alleged that Girardi withheld settlement money he secured from Pacific Gas & Electric after they were found at fault for the San Bruno gas line fire that severely burned Joe.
“So I kind of realized I wasn’t going to learn anything new from them about Erika.” While he doesn’t think the special will affect Jayne’s future on the show, he did call the allegations against Girardi disturbing.
“The relationship of trust and confidence that is essential to a properly functioning attorney-client relationship has broken down and, in the good faith assessment of counsel, the relationship is irreparable,” Dinsmore & Shohl LLP wrote in court documents confirming their withdrawal from the case, according to People.
However, Jayne is actively attempting to prevent courts from taking her assets that some believe to have come from embezzled settlement money, claiming that they were gifts from Girardi and not community property.