Getty Images Erika Jayne.
Erika Jayne Girardi has been accused of filing for divorce for the wrong reasons. Shortly after Tom Girardi’s career as an attorney began to crumble and lawsuits started popping up, Erika decided to end her marriage and attempt to get out of dodge, rather than stick by her husband’s side and support him through the tough times that lie ahead.
Erika filed for divorce from Tom in November 2020, according to The Blast. It seems that her decision to walk away from her 21-year marriage has caused some curiosity about the legitimacy of her divorce filing.
“After much consideration, I have decided to end my marriage to Tom Girardi. This is not a step taken lightly or easily. I have great love and respect for Tom and for our years and the lives we built together. It is my absolute wish to proceed through this process with respect and with the privacy that both Tom and I deserved. I request others give us that privacy as well,” Erika told E! News by way of a statement.
As previously reported by Heavy, Erika and Tom did not have a pre-nuptial agreement.
Here’s what you need to know:
Erika & Tom Have Been Accused of Using Their Split to Embezzle Money & Are Being Sued
About one month after Erika confirmed that she and Tom had split, the former couple was accused of using their split as a way to embezzle money. On December 2, 2020, a lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court that claimed that they “allegedly embezzled settlement funds meant to help the families of victims on Lion Air Flight 610,” according to People magazine. The flight being referred to crashed in October 2018 after departing from Jakarta, Indonesia.
The lawsuit alleges that Erika and Tom are embezzling money through their divorce as a means to keep up with their “lavish Beverly Hills lifestyles.”
“Tom has resorted to embezzling the proceeds of settlements that should have been directed to his clients — including, as the basis for this Complaint, the widows and orphans who lost loved ones in the tragic crash of Lion Air Flight 610 — in order to continue funding his and Erika’s lavish Beverly Hills lifestyles,” the documents read, according to the outlet.
The lawsuit goes on to claim that Erika and Tom’s divorce is nothing but a “sham.” According to Today, the lawsuit alleges that the couple is going through a divorce as a way to “protect” their money.
Erika Defended Her Marriage to Tom in the Past
Erika and Tom’s marriage had been a topic of conversation on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hill” since Erika first joined the cast in 2015. Many had wondered if their marriage was the real deal, mainly because of the 33-year age gap between the two. Erika has addressed the chatter on more than one occasion, defending her marriage to Tom time and time again.
“I’ve dealt with this forever: the younger woman that married the wealthier, older man. I mean, I’m tired of having to justify my 20-year marriage. Go get a 20-year marriage, then come f*cking talk to me…Yeah I married a guy that’s 33 years older than me and yeah he’s got a lot of money, but you know what? He’s a f*cking good man. And that is the most important thing,” Erika said on the April 22, 2020, episode of “RHOBH,” according to Bravo.
Since she was so adamant about letting people know that she and Tom were the real deal, it’s not surprising that people are questioning her decision to leave Tom. In fact, many have compared Erika to Teresa Giudice, after her husband faced serious legal allegations. Giudice decided to stick by her husband’s side, however, only filing for divorce after they both had gone to prison and grew apart.
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