Tom Girardi, the husband ofReal Housewives of Beverly HillsstarErika Girardi, has reportedly been held in civil contempt over allegedly embezzling funds from several families who lost loved ones in a 2018 Boeing plane crash.
According toThe Chicago Sun-Times, Tom, who attended the Chicago court hearing on Monday via telephone, was unable to explain to U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin where at least $2 million went from the crash settlement of Lion Air Flight 610, which departed from Jakarta, Indonesia in October 2018.
“These are widows and orphans,” Durkin said, perThe Chicago Sun-Times. “Half a million dollars for any one of these families is a significant amount of money. Life-changing, given the tragedy they went through.”
Tom reportedly only spoke once via telephone during the hearing so the judge could hear his voice. When Durkin asked him what happened to the money, a lawyer representing Tom responded, “I’ve advised him to decline that.”
Tom’s lawyer also told Durkin that he was not able to pay the $2 million to the clients,The Chicago Sun-Timesreported.
A representative for Girardi Keese has not immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Erika Girardi and Tom Girardi.Steve Eichner/AP
Tom and Erika Girardi.Bravo
“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,” she added. “I request others give us that privacy as well.”
source: people.com
