The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne is once again in legal trouble as she and her company, EJ Global LLC, are being taken to court in a lawsuit seeking $55 million in damages. RHOBH season 12 is currently filming, after an explosive season 11 that largely focused on Erika's increasingly messy legal drama. Throughout the season, Erika was honest with her castmates and viewers about her personal and legal misfortunes. Before Erika became a reality TV star, she worked as a waitress at Chasen's in West Hollywood. It was through her waitressing gig that she was introduced to Tom. At the time they met, Erika was 27 and Tom was 59, but the large age gap didn't stop the two from hitting it off. The other women on the show were intrigued by Erika's relationship with her husband when they first met her, and immediately took note of her lavish lifestyle, complete with a sprawling mansion, glam team and impressive wardrobe of designer clothes and jewels.
Erika's now ex-husband, Tom Girardi, once a prolific and well-respected lawyer, was disbarred and sued following allegations that he and his firm had embezzled their clients' settlement money. Throughout the season, Erika defended her innocence and maintained that she did not know anything about Tom's illegal actions or have any access to his financial affairs. Despite her claims, however, she was taken to court over allegations that she received some of the settlement money. Money struggles arrived in step with her legal trouble, and after reportedly falling behind on rent, Erika started a hair extension line to make money.
Erika's legal troubles are far from over. According to People, the reality star and her company, EJ Global LLC, are being sued in a new lawsuit filed by the Edelson PC law firm. Court documents obtained by People indicate that the firm is accusing Erika and her company of "racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, receipt of stolen property, aiding and abetting concealment of stolen property, unlawful business practice and deceit." The documents go on to say that the law firm Girardi Keese "stole more than $100 million from the firm's clients and many others unfortunate enough to do business with the firm" and that the firm is "a criminal enterprise, disguised as a law firm."
Edelson PC is seeking a whopping $55 million in damages and claims that the money stolen from clients was used for "Erika's all-consuming need to spend—funding a lifestyle so lavish that Erika was a cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." The court documents go on to accuse Erika of manipulating her position in the spotlight to curry favor with fans, writing that she "made the cynical decision to leverage the scandal to further her career and stay relevant in the tabloids, meaning more exposure and a larger paycheck for her next season of performing on Housewives." Meanwhile, Erika is currently filming the next season of RHOBH, which will likely continue to address her legal trouble.
In spite of the mounting legal battles, Erika continues to defend her innocence and push forward. While some of her castmates, particularly Sutton Stracke, have questioned her, she has received support from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna. Sutton was among the most vocally dubious about Erika's claims of innocence and sparred with her throughout the season. Lisa, meanwhile, stood by her friend and defended her. Erika's next move remains to be seen, but it doesn't appear as though she will be untangled from her messy legal web anytime soon.
Source: People