News has broken that The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Tom Girardi has been ordered to appear in court on Monday for embezzlement charges. The 81-year-old has retained Chicago-based criminal defense attorney, Michael Monico for the hearing.
Bravo fans may recall the attorney's name as the same lawyer who represented Michael Cohen. Tom founded the law firm, and his office has won numerous awards but became nationally known after winning a settlement in 1996. It inspired the movie Erin Brockovich.
Reality Blurb is reporting that Tom has been ordered to appear in court over embezzlement allegations. It was also reported that lawyers have started to leave his law firm as debts and lawsuits start to pile up. According to Law360, Tom failed to meet a December 10 deadline which was set by a U.S District Judge. The court date was meant to argue in writing against the claims.
The outlet reported that the case is only getting worse for the couple as a federal judge in Chicago ordered the famous attorney to appear before him on Monday for a contempt hearing surrounding the lawsuit that accused him of stealing settlement money from the victims of a Boeing plane crash. Earlier this month, fans learned that Edelson PC sued the couple on behalf of a number of Boeing plane crash victims. The couple allegedly embezzled settlement funds that were meant to go towards the victims of Lion Air Flight 610. The lawsuit is claiming that Tom and his law firm Girardi Keese "are on the verge of financial collapse and locked in a downward spiral of mounting debts and dwindling funds" and that the divorce is a sham. Judge Durkin has now ordered that Tom and some of his attorneys appear via phone for the hearing.
Since the scandal broke both, Tom and Erika have remained quiet on the subject and legal drama. While many believe Erika is embarrassed, fans are also questioning what she might have known. While fans are hoping this front-page news will be caught by Bravo cameras, The Pretty Mess singer is said to be keeping her fingers crossed that it doesn't make the cut. But since the newest season is currently being filmed, there may be a small chance fans get to watch the story unravel.
Sources: Law360, RealityBlurb