Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne desires to be paid for the $750,000 diamond earrings she claims have been unlawfully taken from her amid estranged husband Thomas Girardi‘s ongoing chapter proceedings.
As Erika strikes ahead in her efforts to reclaim the loss amid her recently-launched residency in Las Vegas, an lawyer is talking out in regards to the newest lawsuit filed in opposition to her and Thomas, which accuses the couple of a fraud scheme.
Last month, days earlier than Erika’s residency started, costume designer Christopher Psaila, of Marco Marco, accused her and Thomas of teaming up with the Secret Service in 2017 to falsely accuse him of bank card fraud, which value him almost $800,000.
“The allegations are that Tom Girardi was able to pull strings and basically get out of debt to say that Erika Jayne was fraudulently charged,” lawyer Neama Rahmani, who is just not a part of the case, defined on Us Weekly‘s Legally Us podcast. “This isn’t just a chargeback here, this is a situation where now federal agents are now [allegedly] getting involved and investigating and potentially prosecuting this costume store.”
As Neama famous, Thomas is a “powerful man” with “connections” on the “highest level of government.”
“The state bar [in Los Angeles] didn’t investigate him or take action despite hundreds of complaints because of his close ties to folks at the state bar,” he shared. “We’re talking about folks who are in federal law enforcement.”
According to the lawyer, the case in opposition to Erika and Thomas is a “complex” and “bombshell” case with “very serious” claims in opposition to the RHOBH forged member.
“If it’s indeed true, this is a very big deal,” he warned. “This is an [alleged] misuse of our system of justice — and we know how big of a deal that is right now in other, sort of, political arenas. If Tom truly was able to get someone to investigate someone his wife was having a civil dispute [or a] a credit card despite with, this was a big, big problem.”
Meanwhile, Erika’s lawyer, Evan C. Borges, advised Us Weekly in a September 6 assertion that he discovered the timing of Chris’ lawsuit to be suspicious.
“It seems calculated that Plaintiff timed this lawsuit to coincide with Erika’s Las Vegas residency opening. Plaintiff’s claims against Erika are without merit,” he famous. “Independent federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office made the decision to charge plaintiff with crimes, no one else. The notion that Erika controlled the U.S. Government, or for that matter a Fortune 100 company such as American Express, is fantasy.”
Neama went on to say that Thomas’ dwindling psychological well being could possibly be an element within the case in opposition to the estranged couple, who Chris mentioned took the cash from him, regardless of receiving his items and providers.
“Tom is being prosecuted [and] a judge just has to determine if he’s competent to stand trial,” he defined. “So, competence is an issue. You really have to understand the nature of the proceedings against you and be able to assist in your own defense. So if Tom is deemed incompetent then that’s a temporary situation. But if it’s never restored to competence he’s never going to face criminal justice.”
Although Erika has but to be prosecuted, regardless of being tied to a number of lawsuits in recent times, Neama mentioned that this time round, she might get “in trouble criminally.”
“[And] the folks at the Secret Service and maybe even the Department of Justice, that [allegedly] participated in this type of scheme could get in trouble as well,” he added.
As for Erika’s diamond earrings, which she turned over to Thomas’ chapter trustee final 12 months because the trustee tried to repay victims of Thomas’ fraud, lawyer Ronald Richards shared on Twitter on September 6 that she’s since requested cost for them.
“Erika has told the [bankruptcy court] she wants the money for her former earrings. If the Trustee has to give money back, this will be hard, because numerous professionals have been paid,” he wrote. “The Appellate Judge said the buyer gets to keep them but this could be effected if the money is ordered returned. The Trustee is now saying it does not need to show the funds came from the victims to buy the earrings because Erika and Tom commingled them in a firm account.”
“Erika is using this issue to delay her trial on the $25M,” he added, giving a nod to the $25 million lawsuit the trustee filed in opposition to Erika, who they declare obtained fraudulent transfers from Thomas’ legislation agency.
As RHOBH followers might recall, Erika gained an attraction she filed in regard to the earrings, which she claimed have been taken from her unlawfully, earlier this 12 months. However, months prior, the jewellery was bought for $250,000 at an public sale and later seen on none aside from Ronald’s spouse, Lauren Boyette Richards.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 13 is anticipated to premiere on Bravo someday later this 12 months.
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