Former attorney Tom Girardi declared fit to go to trial for embezzlement charges, according to Orange County Register.

A government psychologist has determined that Tom Girardi, the former Los Angeles attorney who is facing federal charges for embezzling millions of dollars from clients, is competent to stand trial despite his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The conclusion was made by Dr. Diana Goldstein, the government’s expert neuropsychologist, who stated that Girardi is fit to face trial. A hearing has been scheduled for August 3rd to discuss this matter.

Tom Girardi, who is 84 years old and the estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne, was previously declared incompetent to handle his own affairs in June 2021 due to his Alzheimer’s disease. He was disbarred a year later and is currently residing in an assisted-living facility in Orange County.

Girardi, who was the owner of the Girardi Keese law firm in downtown Los Angeles, was indicted in February on five counts of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. He is also facing eight additional wire fraud charges in a separate criminal case filed in Chicago.

Christopher Kamon, the firm’s former chief financial officer, was also charged in the indictment. The allegations state that Girardi and Kamon fraudulently obtained over $15 million from clients between 2010 and 2020.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada described the defendants’ actions as a “widespread scheme to steal from their clients and lie to them to cover up the fraud.” He emphasized that they targeted those who trusted and relied on them the most.

Girardi’s attorney has not yet provided a comment on the matter.

In order to conceal their theft of settlement money in the Los Angeles case, Girardi and Kamon allegedly deceived clients by falsely claiming that the funds had not been paid. They also misled clients by stating that certain requirements needed to be fulfilled before the settlement proceeds could be disbursed.

Tom Girardi gained prominence for his involvement in the 2001 Oscar-winning film “Erin Brockovich,” where he served as an adviser. He was part of the legal team that successfully sued Pacific Gas & Electric in 1993 for contaminating groundwater in a California town.

Estrada revealed that behind Girardi’s public image of integrity and numerous awards, he was actually “robbing and stealing from those people he claimed to be championing,” committing fraud on a large scale.

After Girardi’s disbarment, the State Bar of California received 205 complaints against him, accusing him of misappropriating settlement money and other serious ethical violations throughout his four-decade career.

Girardi Keese, known for representing plaintiffs in high-profile civil litigation against major corporations, collapsed in late 2020 following allegations that Girardi embezzled money intended for clients involved in a lawsuit over an airline crash in Indonesia.

Both Girardi and his law firm are currently undergoing Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, with claims totaling over $500 million against the now-defunct Wilshire Boulevard law firm.