July 31, 2025 • 34 mins
Carlos and his co-host, Courtney Parker, are back with another episode of Reali-TEA Crime Stories. and this time, they’re unpacking the scandalous saga of Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi. Carlos weighs in on the big question: Did Erika know about the fraud? Was it a classic case of “don’t ask, don’t tell”? And yes, they get into all the drama, including the infamous “bloody earrings.”
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Reality with the King is hosted by me, Carlos King.
I'm an executive producer who have produced some of your
favorite shows from the Real Housewives in Atlanta, New Jersey
and my own creation, The Love and Marriage Franchise and
Bell Collective. Every episode we recap reality television from The
Real Housewives Franchise to The Bachelor or Selling Sunset, in
(00:27):
addition to celebrity guests, whether in the unscripted space or
scripted as well. Hey, rain Drops of today's episode of
Reality Crime Story Baby. Along with my co host Cortney Parker,
we have to get into this week's topic, which is
(00:49):
the fall of Tom Girardi, who we all come to note. Yes,
his his personality was you in the movie that starred
the beautiful Julia Roberts Aaron Prokovich, but he is known
(01:09):
as Erica James's husband. So Cordie and I today are
going to talk about exactly what's going on with his case,
because listen, you have to be living under rock to
know what Erica Jane has been going through for the
past couple of years, not only in her real life
but on the real house spots of Belly Hills where
(01:30):
a lot of the girls on the show question whether
or not she knew what was going on with Tom Gerardi,
who was recently found guilty and sentenced to prisident for
his crime. So, Courtney, what is going on in this case?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Listen? This is not just another celebrity scandal. It's a
systemic legal failure that exploits vulnerable clients, his family, families
that were uh dealing with plane crash victims, injury workers
for his own personal gain. And he wasn't just any lawyer.
(02:11):
He was a super lawyer. He was a champion for
justice whose firm was recently just disbarred and bankrupt. His
downfall and the alleged misuth of those funds to prop
up his reality star wife is what we're talking about today.
And yes, this case intersects reality TV because of who
(02:36):
he was married to, but the courts focuses on squarely
the fraud, the deception, and the restitution and the eagle
the legal ethics involved. This is not just about story,
but we are the master storytellers and we're going to
(02:56):
get into the reality crime of this illegally blonde couple.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Not illegally blonde. Oh, according to you are a woman
with words, baby so ray jobs. Let me give you
all the timeline dating back to nineteen ninety nine before
I talk about what he was sentenced to, So to
catch all of you up. In nineteen ninety nine, Erica
(03:24):
Tom met at Chassen's It's the Beverly Hills hotspot, where
Erica is a cocktail waitress. The following year they get married.
I know that's my Erica. I'm not dating for more
than a year, married me booth. So they get married.
At that time, Tom was a high powered attorney, like
I said, best known for the Aaron Brokovich case. Erica
(03:47):
is starting her music career. Between two thousand and seven
and fifteen, she launches her also ego Erica Jane Music
on the charts, and at this time during those years
is when Tom reportedly was funding her career with the
millions of dollars through his law firm, which we have
(04:08):
come to know today. Erica joins the Real Housewives of
Belly Hills in twenty fifteen. We were able to see
her jet setting lavish lifestyle right Courtney, it was like
the Glitz and the Glenns.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Was the real Housewife of Beverly Hills, like undeniably beautiful,
blonde bombshell, living the life of a high powered attorney
with just money flowing. Champagne, Carvier, she caviar, she was
lifestyles of the rich and famous.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yes, and during the pandemic. In November twenty twenty, which is,
you know, the early days of it, Erica fought for
divorce from Tom after twenty one years of marriage, just
week before lawsuits begins surfacing alleging financial frog December of
(05:03):
twenty twenty through twenty twenty one, Tom has sued for
allegedly embezzling settlement funds from victims of the Lion aircrash.
Erica is named in civil suits, but matains she had
no knowledge between the years of twenty twenty two and
(05:23):
twenty twenty four. Tom not only is this barred, he's
also placed under Conservative ship. Eventually ignited. Erica fights civil
suits tied to the legend USA FOMPS and the Courtney.
June of this year, a month ago, Tom is sentenced
to seven years in federal prison Erica continues performing and
(05:47):
working amiss public scrutiny. Now, look, I will say this, Courtney,
I was the minority in the situation, and I still
stand on my belief that Erica did not know what
was going on. I don't believe she knew what was
going on. I believe she was a wife who was
(06:10):
able to just brief the benefits of having a high
powered attorney giving you the jets, the backup dancers as
a blind weave. Honey, I don't think she knew anything, Courtney.
I still believe that till this day, Courtney, she is
being sued for a lot of civil suits. What is
(06:31):
going on there?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, listen, what happens is exactly what happens. She has
become the face of the scandal she swears she didn't
know anything about, nor did she create. But here's the problem, Carlos,
Erica didn't just benefit from Tom's money. She built an
empire and a brand off of it. And when that
money turned out to be stolen from plane crash victims
(06:57):
and burn survivors, the glam fortune became real grimy Uh.
The million dollar question that we always ask and that
so many people have asked, is did she know? It's
interesting that you say she didn't. I don't think she did.
Even if she Even if she, if you feel like
(07:18):
she didn't, what needs to really be discussed is why
didn't she? I think sometimes we want to get into
the did she or didn't she? Of it all without saying,
how are you married to someone for twenty one years
who is a super attorney, the fighter for justice and
(07:42):
you not know that some of his dealings and some
of that fortune was not above board? And although she
wasn't officially charged, public opinion is not even really and
truly solely fight it in this case. They're like, if
you claiming you didn't know, then the onus and responsibility
(08:06):
still should be on you to know. And does your
ignorance is your ignorance in this respect bliss? Or do
you have an obligation to say.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
That it's not.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Well?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
I think this. I think this. I think if you
look at very wealthy men or even excuse me, men
of beings who do have literally a real housewife, right
like I'm a housewife. I stay at home, I take
care of the kids. Teresa Judais went to prison because
(08:41):
her husband gave her papers to sign and says, sign
of this dot to lie as far as taxes. She
did it without reading it, and she got sentenced to prison.
When fraud was committed on Jaill's behalf and Teresa was like,
I had no idea what was going on, And I
still to this day believe Teresa didn't I know, but
(09:01):
she did get what some people consider a harsh sentence
of one year in prison base on what's going on
with Erica Jane. Listen, what I believed is this, and
again this is this is you know, my opinion, and
this is me just watching the show. I got a
(09:25):
chance to meet Erica Jane as well, but she could
not have been more lovely. So look, Erica Jane, like
we said, is being accused Courtney of using over too
twenty five million dollars for personal use, all of which
came from the firm's funding. Attorney Ronald Richards and his
legal team are seeking financial justice, which with me making
(09:49):
Erica Jane pay back the money. I don't believe she knew.
That's my opinion. I really do believe that. The attorney
for the victims did say that we are hopeful that
on June fourth. I'm sorry. The attorneys really do feel
(10:11):
like they do have a case, but I'm not too
sure if they do. But what's fascinating is Erica Jane
is hitted to trial in February of twenty twenty six
over a twenty five million dollar lawsuit.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Right, it's blood money, and that's what the media is
calling it. That's what the streets are even saying, Like,
the reality is you're citing innocence, But innocence isn't just
about what you know. It's also about what you chose
to not ask. Like it gives very don't ask, don't tell,
(10:58):
but that doesn't make you innocent. That makes you guilty
somewhat by association. She built a fantasy around luxury, but
the receipts were bloody. There were plane crash settlements, brown
victim payouts, and she was front row at findy. So
it's the perception of evil that can cause people to
(11:23):
be judged just as harshly as the person who committed
the sin or in this case, the crime. There are
too many women oftentimes when they marry these high profile
people that are reacting and responding to, Oh, this is
just the soft life I want of the self life.
(11:45):
I want to be kept. You mentioned the words kept,
But there is a responsibility to knowing where the money
is coming from, what is it costing somebody else. When
you're flaunting your wealth and you're rich, is you also
need to be able to back up that your riches
were legitimate because you're putting your finances, You're putting your
(12:10):
lifestyle at the forefront, whether it's by way of Real
Housewives of Beverly Hills or whether just it's within your
simple circle. You made America, you made viewers fall in
love with the flash. So no matter what, you have
a responsibility to at least own it. Own that your husband,
(12:36):
by far was just not a good person and misappropriated
the funds. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
No, and that's the thing I've always believed that. Look,
he did the crime, and as we now know, he's
paying the time for it.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Right, he.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Alluded to have a dementia, but at the end of
the day, the jury to be guilty and he has
to spend seven years in jail for what he has done.
Erica did have a lot to celebrate a few years ago, Courtney.
She did get dismissed from a few lawsuits. But like
I said earlier, she has to fight for this one
(13:16):
that's for twenty four million dollars. Look, do you think
that because this was a big topic on the Real
Housewives of Billy Hills, right, Erica had some ear rings,
some diamond ear rings Courtney. And the reason why it
was a big topic of conversation is because a lot
(13:38):
of the people felt that she should just give those
ear rings back, like they were like, give the ear
rings back. The ear rings allegedly were worth seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and she refused to give them back.
She was like, these are my ear rings. They were
a gift for me. I had nothing to do with it.
(14:00):
And a lot of people felt like, what you're saying, Corney,
Like there's blood on those ear rings. You know there
were your husband used the stolen money to pay for
those ear rings. It was it was a big topic
of discussion based upon that, but it was also something
that really to me show that this is something that
(14:23):
a lot of people have deep feelings for. The gag
is she did win the legal battle over the ear rings.
They found that she did not have to give them up.
Do you think that's the right call from the courts?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Again, it's simple. Erica wasn't in the courtroom. She didn't
take these cash settlements that were due to these families,
but she was. She's been a part of all of
these conversations. She didn't move the money, but she moved
with the money from the glam squads to the diamond
(15:02):
earrings seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars diamond earrings, to
this money that he stole allegedly from victims and victims' families,
paid for her life off of other people's pains. So
just because she may have not signed the check, cashing
the check and living this lavish lifestyle, because he has
(15:27):
been found guilty, it kind of makes her again guilty
by association. This was your husband. You knew where this
money come came from, even though they were gifts.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
There, well, the thought it came from. If you don't,
but when you know, when you know better?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Right, when you.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Right? Okay?
Speaker 2 (15:51):
How do you make it right? How do you consciously
know that I have profited, profited off of the pain
and suffering of people who have lost everything and money
is due to them. So how do you and good
conscience walk around with seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars
(16:12):
of potential settlement money that was due them and just
wear them in your ears or carry it with your
birken bag, knowing that even though you might have been
innocent and not realizing where it came from.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
You know now, you know now, you know now.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
And again, it's not just about innocence, it's not just
about its. People have to be paid restitution, People have
to be made aware. And there doesn't feel like where
she's losing public empathy is she's going on with her life,
(16:58):
not that she should be free, but it's still lavish.
She's going on with her life to such an extent
that we haven't forgotten the fact that she got She
paid forty thousand dollars a month on glam, just glam.
That's certain people's salary and that's what she paid to
(17:22):
look good a month. While she was singing about expensive,
I think that was the title of her song.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
It was it's expensive to be Go ahead, Courtney.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
To be me. Your rain drops are not coming from
me for not knowing, Erica Jane. Now I am listening.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
This is reality with the King, and I'm Carlos King.
Let's get back into the show.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
But when you have a case like this, I think
it's it's really good to look at the optics and
I'm all four living the soft life being kept. And
I'm not saying that she planned it that way, but
when the glam is funded by grief, it's harder to
(18:10):
separate her lifestyle from the lives that were impacted by
her husband's wrongdoings.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
So you're on the same page as the attorney who's
representing a few of the people involved in the civil cases,
Ronald Richards him and his legal team Coordiney, are seeking
financial justice. They're looking to make Erica Jane pay back
the money. Ronald said on Twitter, he posted this Erica
(18:41):
James spouse that she abandoned is on his way to
a defecto almost life sentence. Meanwhile, the judge in the
twenty five million dollar fraudulent convenience action we filed wants
additional briefing on how to try this case. Erica's defense
is the money went to her personal service company, EJ Globo.
(19:06):
This defense is definitely a loser, so her best shot
is to keep delaying. Money is tight for her now
and she hates paying her own legal bills. Walls keep closing. Now, look,
that's an attorney he's on Twitter giving a good old
housewife read you thought about that? Because look, I feel
(19:30):
like is that the best way to argue the case
By going on Twitter reading Erica her rights for the
public consumption, since on Twitter there's people who just don't
see it for Erica.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Listen, if it's good enough for the President of the
United States to deal with our global affairs, it's good
enough for this attorney. People consume their media and attention
by way social media all day long, and with respect
to Erica not necessarily playing the victim but being portrayed
(20:12):
as the villain. Here, Erica is not the only woman
in the world that has been lied on or lied
to by a man. The difference is most of us
don't get a twenty five million dollar check deposited into
a shell company with her name on it. So I
don't think she is a victim. She might be a
(20:33):
victim emotionally, but financially she's not. She gained, she benefited
in a big way from this money, so you can't
necessarily claim it as a gift and then claim you
knew nothing about how he made his money, where his
money came from, because then you divorced this man like
(20:56):
he like they said, she abandoned her husband. And again,
this is the unpopular opinion, but an opinion that's floating
out there, and I can see it from both sides.
She gives the appearance of her loyalty wasn't to him,
wasn't to Tom, but more so to her brand, her image,
(21:19):
and the aesthetics of being kept. She is the epitome
of a real Housewives of housewife of Beverly Hills. However,
what sometimes we need to really understand is when you're
more loyal to your lifestyle than the truth, you might
(21:40):
end up defending a monster or becoming the monster just
to keep your closet full. That's not love, that's not
co branding. That's giving the appearance of sheer evil.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So now that Tom has been sentry is.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yes, because we're living in a time, in an age
where everybody plays not only the fool, but everybody is
is victim. They're the victim of everything. And this is
a really good topic because she came with her receipts.
(22:23):
We're not talking about little money here. We're talking about
millions and millions of dollars.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
That you now know.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
You can't say, well, I didn't know, because you know
now that this is some someone lost their daughter, son, father,
mother behind this. These are a plane crash victims, these
are burn victims. Aaron Brockovic, we all saw the movie.
(22:52):
We all know the story. So those settlements that you hear,
that is justification and vindication for these families are lying
in a shell company for you. I respect her because
she did use the seed money to build this brand.
It's not like this woman is talentless. It's not like
(23:14):
she hasn't allowed us to see weekend and week out
season from season of her life and her journey on
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It's not like her spinoff
shows and this lavish lifestyle we haven't seen come crumbling
like a cookie. I say cookie because you know what
(23:34):
I'm about to endure.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
You doing your fast, hip your fast.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
So forgive the food analogies. But there does come a
time where where do you grieve? Do you just continue
to shop? Where do you grieve for the victims' families?
And what can you do to restore or or give
or provide some kind of restitution on your ex husband?
(24:05):
They weren't married for two years, five years, even seven years.
They were married for twenty one years, So I don't know. Carlos,
what do you think do you think you could have
a good conscious and not give back something to pay
some kind of restitution to these families just because your
man was wrong.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Well, I think you raised a good point, because what
I do realize legally, when it comes to marriages, the
couple you're seen as one like your husband's debts is
yours and vice versa. So I do understand from a
legality standpoint, the idea that as a married couple, you're
(24:50):
unfortunately subjected to the legal debt or financial depth of
your husband or your wives situation. Hence, Teresa JULYI is
going to jail for a year because she saw it right.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Her to say, hey, this was wrong. He did it.
I participated in it, even though I wasn't conscious. I
served my time, and I divorced, and now I'm going
on with my life. It really does feel like in
this case, this was a company she did not build.
(25:32):
He built it. She benefited from it. When it came
crashing down, she was like, well, I'm just gonna keep
all of that I possess to myself and I'm gonna,
you know, go on and live my life because these
were gifts. And again, it just becomes a situation where
you cannot you cannot. You are really guilty by association,
(25:58):
and you should make right of it. Yeah, she believed
in a man, she believed in her marriage. But what
she didn't do is believe in what it gives. Is
she doesn't believe in the restitution to these families should
be on her.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
So with that being said, she, like I said, she
is going to trial in February. We will see what happens.
She was able to keep the earrings per the court,
so that is a win for her. But look, I
think you and I obviously on the same page, which
is our hearts squat to the victims. I'm sure they're
(26:41):
happy to see the person who rob them be sentenced
to jail. That's the right thing to do, and listen
our hearts, thoughts and prayers throughout. So of course, all
the victims that suffer through the crimes of Tom Giraldi
and when it comes to Erica Love. They are filming
the new season of The Real Housewives Wi Hills, but
(27:02):
this will be a topic of conversation because it's so
like Tom Gerardy's fall from grace because he was considered
this legal legend based on the Aaron Broncovic cage, which
is sort of like was the case that really when
you have a high profile case. The reason why a
lot of attorneys do a pro bono not saying he
(27:23):
did it in this situation, but a lot of them
take on high profile cases pro bono is because the
world will see you as this hero and you will
get everybody in the world to spend your actual hourly
legal wage to take them on as a client. And
(27:44):
obviously it was a movie was made out of it,
played by Julia Roberts. So I understand the accumulation of
the wealth he received after that that case, and this
is to me a crime of greed. It is a
crime of when you, when you, when the money is
(28:06):
flowing in, you want more of it and more of it,
and more of it and more.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Of it instead of just young wife especially.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, you have a young wife you're trying to keep happy,
and you know you're you're giving money to fund her
lifestyle and her career. So it's it's it's unfortunate that
his legacy is officially ruined. He has to spend these
(28:36):
years in jail, and he's let me see how old
he is, because I think the other thing too is
sort of like will he be able to like survive
he's eighty six years old?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Listen again, let me set the record straight for the
rain drops. No, I am not an attorney. I am
not a prime producer. I do have a degree too,
I'm not an attorney. He will probably get depending on
(29:15):
his circumstances, because now they're saying he's suffering from dementia.
He'll probably get a compassionate release.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
He will not.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
I don't see him withstanding a seven year sentence. And
that's why, given the money and the crime, I think
the reason he only got seven years is because of
his age. With respect to her, I you know, again,
(29:44):
feel like she mistook proximity for privilege. She thought being
married to a powerful man made her untouchable and in
this case, but it made her extremely vulnerable because she
had no protection. She has no She's saying that she
(30:06):
had no real legal knowledge of what was going on,
and it comes across like she was just in it
for the bags and the lashes, but not the lawsuits, and.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Not in for the not in for the lastes, but
not the lawsuits. Courtney Parker, the worst you are.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
But what reminds me of and it really does become
a cautionary out And I'm a big component and I'm
a big person on the need for women to really
come into these things with their own whether it's your own.
I know several successful, brilliant women that are quote unquote kept,
(30:55):
but they are lawyers, they are doctors. Even if they're
not working in the field, they are educated enough to know,
like they would have met them at Brown for are
now like they are savvy enough. And even if you're
not highly educated or intelligent, you've become savvy enough to
(31:16):
navigate and build something that was your own. Shout out
not to someone like Camara Lee Simmons, that is a
woman that not only built her own brand and business
off the hills of a successful husband, but she wore
(31:39):
her shoes and her heels and built a runway for
herself and when things started to tremble, she had her
own to stand up for, to stand on, not saying
that Erica Jane did not do that, but to play
ignorant and not establish things and literally be concerned with
(32:01):
the frivolous things. The outcome the benefits of this case
versus the burden that her husband's wrong doing wrongdoings have
had to other people. That in and of itself is
like how do you recover and how do you recover
in the court of public opinion because these things happen.
(32:24):
Glam with no knowledge, no backup plan, and no legal
distance isn't security. It's smoking mirrors. And you know, his
money gained her access to get through the door to
acquire this fame, but without proper awareness it she became
a really pretty liability.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
And there you have it. The worst for the Courtney
park is so in closing, look, thank you rain Josh
for tuning against another episode of Reality Crime Stories where
we are going to every single week on bail, one fraud,
one fashion icon, and a whole lot of fallout, one
episode at a time. And trust me, this won't be
(33:07):
the last time we see how fame, fortune and felony
charges collide. On the next episode of Reality Crime Stories
with my co hosts and co creator Courtney Parker right
here on Reality with the King, we will be back
with more receipts, more scandal, and more truth behind the headlines.
Stay tuned because the tea is just getting started. Thank
(33:32):
you Courtney for a great episode.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Absolutely, thank you rain Drops, Thank you King of Reality.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
And the Queen of Words. Yeah. Reality with the King
is executive produced by me Carlos King, produced by Lizzie
Nimitz and a partnership with the Lack Effect Network. Can
also find us on my YouTube channel at the Carlos
(34:03):
King Underscore
Reality with the King is hosted by me, Carlos King.
I'm an executive producer who have produced some of your
favorite shows from the Real Housewives in Atlanta, New Jersey
and my own creation, The Love and Marriage Franchise and
Bell Collective. Every episode we recap reality television from The
Real Housewives Franchise to The Bachelor or Selling Sunset, in
(00:27):
addition to celebrity guests, whether in the unscripted space or
scripted as well. Hey, rain Drops of today's episode of
Reality Crime Story Baby. Along with my co host Cortney Parker,
we have to get into this week's topic, which is
(00:49):
the fall of Tom Girardi, who we all come to note. Yes,
his his personality was you in the movie that starred
the beautiful Julia Roberts Aaron Prokovich, but he is known
(01:09):
as Erica James's husband. So Cordie and I today are
going to talk about exactly what's going on with his case,
because listen, you have to be living under rock to
know what Erica Jane has been going through for the
past couple of years, not only in her real life
but on the real house spots of Belly Hills where
(01:30):
a lot of the girls on the show question whether
or not she knew what was going on with Tom Gerardi,
who was recently found guilty and sentenced to prisident for
his crime. So, Courtney, what is going on in this case?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Listen? This is not just another celebrity scandal. It's a
systemic legal failure that exploits vulnerable clients, his family, families
that were uh dealing with plane crash victims, injury workers
for his own personal gain. And he wasn't just any lawyer.
(02:11):
He was a super lawyer. He was a champion for
justice whose firm was recently just disbarred and bankrupt. His
downfall and the alleged misuth of those funds to prop
up his reality star wife is what we're talking about today.
And yes, this case intersects reality TV because of who
(02:36):
he was married to, but the courts focuses on squarely
the fraud, the deception, and the restitution and the eagle
the legal ethics involved. This is not just about story,
but we are the master storytellers and we're going to
(02:56):
get into the reality crime of this illegally blonde couple.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Not illegally blonde. Oh, according to you are a woman
with words, baby so ray jobs. Let me give you
all the timeline dating back to nineteen ninety nine before
I talk about what he was sentenced to, So to
catch all of you up. In nineteen ninety nine, Erica
(03:24):
Tom met at Chassen's It's the Beverly Hills hotspot, where
Erica is a cocktail waitress. The following year they get married.
I know that's my Erica. I'm not dating for more
than a year, married me booth. So they get married.
At that time, Tom was a high powered attorney, like
I said, best known for the Aaron Brokovich case. Erica
(03:47):
is starting her music career. Between two thousand and seven
and fifteen, she launches her also ego Erica Jane Music
on the charts, and at this time during those years
is when Tom reportedly was funding her career with the
millions of dollars through his law firm, which we have
(04:08):
come to know today. Erica joins the Real Housewives of
Belly Hills in twenty fifteen. We were able to see
her jet setting lavish lifestyle right Courtney, it was like
the Glitz and the Glenns.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Was the real Housewife of Beverly Hills, like undeniably beautiful,
blonde bombshell, living the life of a high powered attorney
with just money flowing. Champagne, Carvier, she caviar, she was
lifestyles of the rich and famous.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yes, and during the pandemic. In November twenty twenty, which is,
you know, the early days of it, Erica fought for
divorce from Tom after twenty one years of marriage, just
week before lawsuits begins surfacing alleging financial frog December of
(05:03):
twenty twenty through twenty twenty one, Tom has sued for
allegedly embezzling settlement funds from victims of the Lion aircrash.
Erica is named in civil suits, but matains she had
no knowledge between the years of twenty twenty two and
(05:23):
twenty twenty four. Tom not only is this barred, he's
also placed under Conservative ship. Eventually ignited. Erica fights civil
suits tied to the legend USA FOMPS and the Courtney.
June of this year, a month ago, Tom is sentenced
to seven years in federal prison Erica continues performing and
(05:47):
working amiss public scrutiny. Now, look, I will say this, Courtney,
I was the minority in the situation, and I still
stand on my belief that Erica did not know what
was going on. I don't believe she knew what was
going on. I believe she was a wife who was
(06:10):
able to just brief the benefits of having a high
powered attorney giving you the jets, the backup dancers as
a blind weave. Honey, I don't think she knew anything, Courtney.
I still believe that till this day, Courtney, she is
being sued for a lot of civil suits. What is
(06:31):
going on there?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, listen, what happens is exactly what happens. She has
become the face of the scandal she swears she didn't
know anything about, nor did she create. But here's the problem, Carlos,
Erica didn't just benefit from Tom's money. She built an
empire and a brand off of it. And when that
money turned out to be stolen from plane crash victims
(06:57):
and burn survivors, the glam fortune became real grimy Uh.
The million dollar question that we always ask and that
so many people have asked, is did she know? It's
interesting that you say she didn't. I don't think she did.
Even if she Even if she, if you feel like
(07:18):
she didn't, what needs to really be discussed is why
didn't she? I think sometimes we want to get into
the did she or didn't she? Of it all without saying,
how are you married to someone for twenty one years
who is a super attorney, the fighter for justice and
(07:42):
you not know that some of his dealings and some
of that fortune was not above board? And although she
wasn't officially charged, public opinion is not even really and
truly solely fight it in this case. They're like, if
you claiming you didn't know, then the onus and responsibility
(08:06):
still should be on you to know. And does your
ignorance is your ignorance in this respect bliss? Or do
you have an obligation to say.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
That it's not.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Well?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
I think this. I think this. I think if you
look at very wealthy men or even excuse me, men
of beings who do have literally a real housewife, right
like I'm a housewife. I stay at home, I take
care of the kids. Teresa Judais went to prison because
(08:41):
her husband gave her papers to sign and says, sign
of this dot to lie as far as taxes. She
did it without reading it, and she got sentenced to prison.
When fraud was committed on Jaill's behalf and Teresa was like,
I had no idea what was going on, And I
still to this day believe Teresa didn't I know, but
(09:01):
she did get what some people consider a harsh sentence
of one year in prison base on what's going on
with Erica Jane. Listen, what I believed is this, and
again this is this is you know, my opinion, and
this is me just watching the show. I got a
(09:25):
chance to meet Erica Jane as well, but she could
not have been more lovely. So look, Erica Jane, like
we said, is being accused Courtney of using over too
twenty five million dollars for personal use, all of which
came from the firm's funding. Attorney Ronald Richards and his
legal team are seeking financial justice, which with me making
(09:49):
Erica Jane pay back the money. I don't believe she knew.
That's my opinion. I really do believe that. The attorney
for the victims did say that we are hopeful that
on June fourth. I'm sorry. The attorneys really do feel
(10:11):
like they do have a case, but I'm not too
sure if they do. But what's fascinating is Erica Jane
is hitted to trial in February of twenty twenty six
over a twenty five million dollar lawsuit.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Right, it's blood money, and that's what the media is
calling it. That's what the streets are even saying, Like,
the reality is you're citing innocence, But innocence isn't just
about what you know. It's also about what you chose
to not ask. Like it gives very don't ask, don't tell,
(10:58):
but that doesn't make you innocent. That makes you guilty
somewhat by association. She built a fantasy around luxury, but
the receipts were bloody. There were plane crash settlements, brown
victim payouts, and she was front row at findy. So
it's the perception of evil that can cause people to
(11:23):
be judged just as harshly as the person who committed
the sin or in this case, the crime. There are
too many women oftentimes when they marry these high profile
people that are reacting and responding to, Oh, this is
just the soft life I want of the self life.
(11:45):
I want to be kept. You mentioned the words kept,
But there is a responsibility to knowing where the money
is coming from, what is it costing somebody else. When
you're flaunting your wealth and you're rich, is you also
need to be able to back up that your riches
were legitimate because you're putting your finances, You're putting your
(12:10):
lifestyle at the forefront, whether it's by way of Real
Housewives of Beverly Hills or whether just it's within your
simple circle. You made America, you made viewers fall in
love with the flash. So no matter what, you have
a responsibility to at least own it. Own that your husband,
(12:36):
by far was just not a good person and misappropriated
the funds. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
No, and that's the thing I've always believed that. Look,
he did the crime, and as we now know, he's
paying the time for it.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Right, he.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Alluded to have a dementia, but at the end of
the day, the jury to be guilty and he has
to spend seven years in jail for what he has done.
Erica did have a lot to celebrate a few years ago, Courtney.
She did get dismissed from a few lawsuits. But like
I said earlier, she has to fight for this one
(13:16):
that's for twenty four million dollars. Look, do you think
that because this was a big topic on the Real
Housewives of Billy Hills, right, Erica had some ear rings,
some diamond ear rings Courtney. And the reason why it
was a big topic of conversation is because a lot
(13:38):
of the people felt that she should just give those
ear rings back, like they were like, give the ear
rings back. The ear rings allegedly were worth seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, and she refused to give them back.
She was like, these are my ear rings. They were
a gift for me. I had nothing to do with it.
(14:00):
And a lot of people felt like, what you're saying, Corney,
Like there's blood on those ear rings. You know there
were your husband used the stolen money to pay for
those ear rings. It was it was a big topic
of discussion based upon that, but it was also something
that really to me show that this is something that
(14:23):
a lot of people have deep feelings for. The gag
is she did win the legal battle over the ear rings.
They found that she did not have to give them up.
Do you think that's the right call from the courts?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Again, it's simple. Erica wasn't in the courtroom. She didn't
take these cash settlements that were due to these families,
but she was. She's been a part of all of
these conversations. She didn't move the money, but she moved
with the money from the glam squads to the diamond
(15:02):
earrings seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars diamond earrings, to
this money that he stole allegedly from victims and victims' families,
paid for her life off of other people's pains. So
just because she may have not signed the check, cashing
the check and living this lavish lifestyle, because he has
(15:27):
been found guilty, it kind of makes her again guilty
by association. This was your husband. You knew where this
money come came from, even though they were gifts.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
There, well, the thought it came from. If you don't,
but when you know, when you know better?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Right, when you.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Right? Okay?
Speaker 2 (15:51):
How do you make it right? How do you consciously
know that I have profited, profited off of the pain
and suffering of people who have lost everything and money
is due to them. So how do you and good
conscience walk around with seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars
(16:12):
of potential settlement money that was due them and just
wear them in your ears or carry it with your
birken bag, knowing that even though you might have been
innocent and not realizing where it came from.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
You know now, you know now, you know now.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
And again, it's not just about innocence, it's not just
about its. People have to be paid restitution, People have
to be made aware. And there doesn't feel like where
she's losing public empathy is she's going on with her life,
(16:58):
not that she should be free, but it's still lavish.
She's going on with her life to such an extent
that we haven't forgotten the fact that she got She
paid forty thousand dollars a month on glam, just glam.
That's certain people's salary and that's what she paid to
(17:22):
look good a month. While she was singing about expensive,
I think that was the title of her song.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
It was it's expensive to be Go ahead, Courtney.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
To be me. Your rain drops are not coming from
me for not knowing, Erica Jane. Now I am listening.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
This is reality with the King, and I'm Carlos King.
Let's get back into the show.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
But when you have a case like this, I think
it's it's really good to look at the optics and
I'm all four living the soft life being kept. And
I'm not saying that she planned it that way, but
when the glam is funded by grief, it's harder to
(18:10):
separate her lifestyle from the lives that were impacted by
her husband's wrongdoings.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
So you're on the same page as the attorney who's
representing a few of the people involved in the civil cases,
Ronald Richards him and his legal team Coordiney, are seeking
financial justice. They're looking to make Erica Jane pay back
the money. Ronald said on Twitter, he posted this Erica
(18:41):
James spouse that she abandoned is on his way to
a defecto almost life sentence. Meanwhile, the judge in the
twenty five million dollar fraudulent convenience action we filed wants
additional briefing on how to try this case. Erica's defense
is the money went to her personal service company, EJ Globo.
(19:06):
This defense is definitely a loser, so her best shot
is to keep delaying. Money is tight for her now
and she hates paying her own legal bills. Walls keep closing. Now, look,
that's an attorney he's on Twitter giving a good old
housewife read you thought about that? Because look, I feel
(19:30):
like is that the best way to argue the case
By going on Twitter reading Erica her rights for the
public consumption, since on Twitter there's people who just don't
see it for Erica.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Listen, if it's good enough for the President of the
United States to deal with our global affairs, it's good
enough for this attorney. People consume their media and attention
by way social media all day long, and with respect
to Erica not necessarily playing the victim but being portrayed
(20:12):
as the villain. Here, Erica is not the only woman
in the world that has been lied on or lied
to by a man. The difference is most of us
don't get a twenty five million dollar check deposited into
a shell company with her name on it. So I
don't think she is a victim. She might be a
(20:33):
victim emotionally, but financially she's not. She gained, she benefited
in a big way from this money, so you can't
necessarily claim it as a gift and then claim you
knew nothing about how he made his money, where his
money came from, because then you divorced this man like
(20:56):
he like they said, she abandoned her husband. And again,
this is the unpopular opinion, but an opinion that's floating
out there, and I can see it from both sides.
She gives the appearance of her loyalty wasn't to him,
wasn't to Tom, but more so to her brand, her image,
(21:19):
and the aesthetics of being kept. She is the epitome
of a real Housewives of housewife of Beverly Hills. However,
what sometimes we need to really understand is when you're
more loyal to your lifestyle than the truth, you might
(21:40):
end up defending a monster or becoming the monster just
to keep your closet full. That's not love, that's not
co branding. That's giving the appearance of sheer evil.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So now that Tom has been sentry is.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yes, because we're living in a time, in an age
where everybody plays not only the fool, but everybody is
is victim. They're the victim of everything. And this is
a really good topic because she came with her receipts.
(22:23):
We're not talking about little money here. We're talking about
millions and millions of dollars.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
That you now know.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
You can't say, well, I didn't know, because you know
now that this is some someone lost their daughter, son, father,
mother behind this. These are a plane crash victims, these
are burn victims. Aaron Brockovic, we all saw the movie.
(22:52):
We all know the story. So those settlements that you hear,
that is justification and vindication for these families are lying
in a shell company for you. I respect her because
she did use the seed money to build this brand.
It's not like this woman is talentless. It's not like
(23:14):
she hasn't allowed us to see weekend and week out
season from season of her life and her journey on
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It's not like her spinoff
shows and this lavish lifestyle we haven't seen come crumbling
like a cookie. I say cookie because you know what
(23:34):
I'm about to endure.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
You doing your fast, hip your fast.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
So forgive the food analogies. But there does come a
time where where do you grieve? Do you just continue
to shop? Where do you grieve for the victims' families?
And what can you do to restore or or give
or provide some kind of restitution on your ex husband?
(24:05):
They weren't married for two years, five years, even seven years.
They were married for twenty one years, So I don't know. Carlos,
what do you think do you think you could have
a good conscious and not give back something to pay
some kind of restitution to these families just because your
man was wrong.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Well, I think you raised a good point, because what
I do realize legally, when it comes to marriages, the
couple you're seen as one like your husband's debts is
yours and vice versa. So I do understand from a
legality standpoint, the idea that as a married couple, you're
(24:50):
unfortunately subjected to the legal debt or financial depth of
your husband or your wives situation. Hence, Teresa JULYI is
going to jail for a year because she saw it right.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Her to say, hey, this was wrong. He did it.
I participated in it, even though I wasn't conscious. I
served my time, and I divorced, and now I'm going
on with my life. It really does feel like in
this case, this was a company she did not build.
(25:32):
He built it. She benefited from it. When it came
crashing down, she was like, well, I'm just gonna keep
all of that I possess to myself and I'm gonna,
you know, go on and live my life because these
were gifts. And again, it just becomes a situation where
you cannot you cannot. You are really guilty by association,
(25:58):
and you should make right of it. Yeah, she believed
in a man, she believed in her marriage. But what
she didn't do is believe in what it gives. Is
she doesn't believe in the restitution to these families should
be on her.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
So with that being said, she, like I said, she
is going to trial in February. We will see what happens.
She was able to keep the earrings per the court,
so that is a win for her. But look, I
think you and I obviously on the same page, which
is our hearts squat to the victims. I'm sure they're
(26:41):
happy to see the person who rob them be sentenced
to jail. That's the right thing to do, and listen
our hearts, thoughts and prayers throughout. So of course, all
the victims that suffer through the crimes of Tom Giraldi
and when it comes to Erica Love. They are filming
the new season of The Real Housewives Wi Hills, but
(27:02):
this will be a topic of conversation because it's so
like Tom Gerardy's fall from grace because he was considered
this legal legend based on the Aaron Broncovic cage, which
is sort of like was the case that really when
you have a high profile case. The reason why a
lot of attorneys do a pro bono not saying he
(27:23):
did it in this situation, but a lot of them
take on high profile cases pro bono is because the
world will see you as this hero and you will
get everybody in the world to spend your actual hourly
legal wage to take them on as a client. And
(27:44):
obviously it was a movie was made out of it,
played by Julia Roberts. So I understand the accumulation of
the wealth he received after that that case, and this
is to me a crime of greed. It is a
crime of when you, when you, when the money is
(28:06):
flowing in, you want more of it and more of it,
and more of it and more.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Of it instead of just young wife especially.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Yeah, you have a young wife you're trying to keep happy,
and you know you're you're giving money to fund her
lifestyle and her career. So it's it's it's unfortunate that
his legacy is officially ruined. He has to spend these
(28:36):
years in jail, and he's let me see how old
he is, because I think the other thing too is
sort of like will he be able to like survive
he's eighty six years old?
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Listen again, let me set the record straight for the
rain drops. No, I am not an attorney. I am
not a prime producer. I do have a degree too,
I'm not an attorney. He will probably get depending on
(29:15):
his circumstances, because now they're saying he's suffering from dementia.
He'll probably get a compassionate release.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
He will not.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
I don't see him withstanding a seven year sentence. And
that's why, given the money and the crime, I think
the reason he only got seven years is because of
his age. With respect to her, I you know, again,
(29:44):
feel like she mistook proximity for privilege. She thought being
married to a powerful man made her untouchable and in
this case, but it made her extremely vulnerable because she
had no protection. She has no She's saying that she
(30:06):
had no real legal knowledge of what was going on,
and it comes across like she was just in it
for the bags and the lashes, but not the lawsuits, and.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Not in for the not in for the lastes, but
not the lawsuits. Courtney Parker, the worst you are.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
But what reminds me of and it really does become
a cautionary out And I'm a big component and I'm
a big person on the need for women to really
come into these things with their own whether it's your own.
I know several successful, brilliant women that are quote unquote kept,
(30:55):
but they are lawyers, they are doctors. Even if they're
not working in the field, they are educated enough to know,
like they would have met them at Brown for are
now like they are savvy enough. And even if you're
not highly educated or intelligent, you've become savvy enough to
(31:16):
navigate and build something that was your own. Shout out
not to someone like Camara Lee Simmons, that is a
woman that not only built her own brand and business
off the hills of a successful husband, but she wore
(31:39):
her shoes and her heels and built a runway for
herself and when things started to tremble, she had her
own to stand up for, to stand on, not saying
that Erica Jane did not do that, but to play
ignorant and not establish things and literally be concerned with
(32:01):
the frivolous things. The outcome the benefits of this case
versus the burden that her husband's wrong doing wrongdoings have
had to other people. That in and of itself is
like how do you recover and how do you recover
in the court of public opinion because these things happen.
(32:24):
Glam with no knowledge, no backup plan, and no legal
distance isn't security. It's smoking mirrors. And you know, his
money gained her access to get through the door to
acquire this fame, but without proper awareness it she became
a really pretty liability.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
And there you have it. The worst for the Courtney
park is so in closing, look, thank you rain Josh
for tuning against another episode of Reality Crime Stories where
we are going to every single week on bail, one fraud,
one fashion icon, and a whole lot of fallout, one
episode at a time. And trust me, this won't be
(33:07):
the last time we see how fame, fortune and felony
charges collide. On the next episode of Reality Crime Stories
with my co hosts and co creator Courtney Parker right
here on Reality with the King, we will be back
with more receipts, more scandal, and more truth behind the headlines.
Stay tuned because the tea is just getting started. Thank
(33:32):
you Courtney for a great episode.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Absolutely, thank you rain Drops, Thank you King of Reality.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
And the Queen of Words. Yeah. Reality with the King
is executive produced by me Carlos King, produced by Lizzie
Nimitz and a partnership with the Lack Effect Network. Can
also find us on my YouTube channel at the Carlos
(34:03):
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