Erika Jayne reveals ‘difficult’ reason why her divorce from ex Tom Girardi is still not finalized

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Erika Jayne has opened up about her divorce from estranged husband Tom Girardi.

Okay, so I was totally glued to Watch What Happens Live last night, and Erika Jayne finally spilled the tea! She explained why her divorce from Tom Girardi – you know, the disgraced lawyer, 86 years old! – is still dragging on. Honestly, I’ve been following this whole thing so closely, and it’s just… complicated. She actually said why it hasn’t been finalized yet, and I was on the edge of my seat! It’s just…everything with them is a mess, and I needed to know!

During an interview, Andy Cohen read a question from a viewer asking why she hadn’t yet filed for divorce.

The reality TV star gently corrected a fan who had misunderstood, saying, ‘Actually, you’re mistaken.’ She confirmed she had indeed filed for separation.

Erika filed for divorce from her husband, Girardi, in November 2020, ending their 21-year marriage. This happened shortly before they faced a lawsuit, and Girardi was already struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and serving a seven-year prison sentence for financial crimes.

Erika explained that divorcing Tom Girardi was complicated because he was under a conservatorship since 2021. She had to get permission from the conservator, and she wished people would stop speculating about it. ‘It’s just not that easy,’ she said.

‘Really?’ Cohen asked in disbelief.

‘Yes. Like, chill on that,’ she replied.

Cohen then inquired if she has ‘thought at all about seeing [Tom]’ in prison.

‘I have,’ she replied.

‘And?’ Cohen inquired.

I couldn’t believe it when she just said ‘No.’ Then she went on, saying it was just… too much. She said ‘That’s enough,’ like she was finally shutting it all down. It was heartbreaking, honestly. She just seemed to be accepting it, saying ‘It is what it is,’ like he was completely finished and there was nothing left to do. It felt like she was giving up, and it absolutely destroyed me.

The former lawyer, who had already lost their license to practice law, was convicted of stealing over $15 million from their clients. In June, they received a prison sentence of just over seven years.

Erika strongly denies any knowledge of her husband’s illegal activities and has never been charged with a crime.

This statement follows Erika’s controversial comment expressing a wish for her sick ex-partner to die peacefully rather than suffer through a likely life sentence he wouldn’t survive.

During last Thursday’s episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the reality star, originally from Atlanta, discussed the issue with Sutton Stracke.

Erika has started dating again, but she still feels deeply saddened by what happened to Girardi after he was convicted and sent to prison in 2024.

Jayne admitted saying he’d wished a person would die rather than go to prison, hoping it would be a quicker end for them.

Jayne expressed immense pain, saying it’s devastating to know and be married to someone who is now on a path that will likely lead to their death while in police custody.

Seeing him leave the courtroom knowing he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison was deeply affecting, said Jayne.

Jayne told Stracke she felt conflicted about saying goodbye to her husband of over twenty years as he began his prison sentence.

‘I don’t know, but I’ve thought that exact same thing: “What do I do?”‘ she said.

The celebrity has begun dating John McPhee, a retired Army special forces sergeant major known as ‘Shrek.’

She revealed she’s dating someone new in July during her Diamonds In The Rough podcast, describing him as a kind person and saying she has fun when she’s with him.

In August 2024, her former partner was convicted of four counts of wire fraud after a 13-day trial.

As a longtime observer of the case, it’s heartbreaking to hear the full extent of Tom Girardi’s betrayal. Apparently, over ten years, from 2010 to 2020, he stole over $15 million from the very people he was supposed to be helping – his own clients. It’s just devastating to learn the scale of the fraud.

In addition to a $35,000 fine, Judge Josephine L. Staton ordered Girardi to repay the $2.3 million he stole from his victims.

Joe Girardi received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2021, and his brother, Robert Girardi, was appointed as his conservator to provide care.

The judge determined last year that Girardi was mentally capable of understanding and receiving his sentence, just as he had been capable of participating in his trial.

In 2024, while giving testimony in Los Angeles, Girardi stated he did not steal any money, as reported by Courthouse News Service.

Girardi assured the court that taking someone’s money would be the last thing he’d ever do, and that the idea never even crossed his mind.

Girardi had made multiple appearances on the Bravo series during his marriage to Jayne.

Before his career ended – marked by losing his law license in 2022 – Girardi was a well-known and successful attorney who often took on big companies in major injury cases.

A legal case against Pacific Gas and Electric ended with a $333 million settlement and inspired the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, which told the story of the case.

Girardi said in his testimony of the film, ‘That became an award-winning movie.’

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills can be seen on Bravo Thursdays at 8/7c.

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2025-12-19 09:21