RHOBH’s Erika Jayne Appeals Judge’s Ruling to Turn Over $1.4 Million Earrings, Talks Feeling Empowered Amid “Victimhood”

by Lindsay Cronin Comments
0 comment
RHOBH's Erika Jayne Appeals Judge's Ruling to Turn Over $1.4 Million Earrings, Talks Feeling Empowered Amid "Victimhood"

Credit: Shutterstock/Kathy Hutchins

Erika Jayne wants to regain control of a pair of $750,000 diamond earrings her estranged husband, Thomas Girardi, bought for her in 2007, which are reportedly worth $1.4 million today.

After a judge ruled last month that the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star should turn the jewelry over to the trustee presiding over the bankruptcy case of Thomas’ now-defunct law firm, Girardi Keese, Erika returned to court, where she filed an appeal against the order.

According to a report shared by Radar Online on July 26, Erika filed the appeal on Monday in Los Angeles.

Last month, nearly a year after the trustee sued Erika for $25 million, claiming Thomas made fraudulent transfers to her company, EJ Global, a judge put the trustee in “possession and control” of Erika’s earrings until the jewelry could be appraised, “at which time the trustee may notice a sale of the diamond earrings” to the highest bidder.

After the ruling, attorney Ronald Richards, who previously worked alongside the trustee, shared a statement.

“The decision to award the earrings to the estate was a justifiable one. Erika’s fantastical belief that she could keep the proceeds of an embezzlement of the client trust account was disturbing and should never have been argued,” he stated. “She has no compassion and one day soon her attorney and her will know that just because you claim willful blindness, doesn’t mean you get to keep stolen property. She will be liable for all the funds paid on her behalf and all the gifts provided with the stolen client funds.”

Amid her legal drama, Erika took to her Instagram Story, where she shared a message about empowerment.

“Just because others are choosing a story of victimhood, does not mean you should hide your story of empowerment,” the message, from Ashmi Path, read.

RHOBH Erika Jayne Talks Empowerment Amid Legal Drama

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight last month, Erika admitted that she’s often struggled with the strong opinions and ongoing scrutiny of the public.

“It’s not a good place to be, and I feel like the court of public opinion is also hard to navigate because people don’t have all of the facts, and they tend to gravitate towards sensationalized headlines,” she explained. “I think people have sort of dehumanized me into this place.”

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.