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The legal nightmare Thomas Girardi, the husband of RHOBH star Erika Jayne, currently faces only appears to be taking a turn for the worse as a federal judge in Chicago has just ordered the famed attorney to appear on Monday for a contempt hearing regarding the recent lawsuit accusing him of stealing the settlement funds of victims of a Boeing plane crash.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills couple were both sued earlier this month by Edelson PC in a lawsuit that alleged their divorce was a sham to hide money that had allegedly been embezzled from the funds belonging to the families of the plane crash victims.
And according to a new report by Law360, Thomas failed to meet a December 10 deadline set by U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin to argue in writing against the claims made by Edelson PC that he stole money from his clients.
Due to his failure to meet this deadline, Judge Durkin ordered Thomas and some former attorneys of his law firm, on Friday, to appear over the phone on Monday for the December 14 contempt hearing.
Thomas, 81, has reportedly retained Chicago criminal defense attorney, Michael Monico, to represent him at this hearing. Michael is quite notable as he has also represented President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Even more, this report by Law360 also shares this interesting tidbit — claiming “the vast majority of its attorneys” at Thomas’s Girardi Keese law firm “have left as debts and lawsuits piled up.”
If you recall, the lawsuit by Edelson PC also alleged that in addition to allegedly using his clients’ money to fund wife Erika’s luxurious lifestyle, Thomas’ law firm was “on the verge of financial collapse and locked in a downward spiral of mounting debts and dwindling funds.”
The troubles plaguing the law firm, which was founded by Thomas, is quite remarkable considering the firm, which has won plenty of awards in the past, became nationally acclaimed after they won a $333 million toxic tort settlement in 1996 that ended up inspiring the hit movie “Erin Brockovich.”
For the time being, Erika and Thomas are remaining mum on their legal drama as a new report from the latest print issue of Life & Style magazine alleged that Erika is “humiliated” and “embarrassed” by the latest headlines, and is reportedly hoping this won’t become part of her storyline on the upcoming RHOBH season — which is currently being filmed.