REAL Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne is accused of raking in $242K from state lottery then refusing to give up the cash in her ex’s bankruptcy case, The Sun can exclusively reveal.
The 50-year-old businesswoman, who is in the middle of a messy divorce from disgraced lawyer Tom Girardi, has found herself at the center of his firm’s legal woes.
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According to reports, LA-based Girardi & Keese is around $101million in debt, approximately $97million more than the total assets of all listed property.
Erika’s 82-year-old ex, who has moved into an assisted living facility due to declining health, is also accused of stealing millions of dollars from plane crash victims who were awarded settlements.
The reality star has denied knowing about her estranged husband’s finances.
New documents filed in LA and obtained by The Sun claim a client diverted and transferred its right to receive attorneys’ fees from a settlement agreement in the form of an ongoing stream of payments from the State of California Lottery.
Thousands of dollars allegedly went to Erika, but she is refusing to hand it over, according to the papers.
The filing reads: “Defendants received more than $242,658 in payments from the State of California Lottery from 2012 to 2021.
“The Defendants are scheduled to still receive $78,000 in payments
from the State of California Lottery in years 2022 through 2025.
“The payments are part of a continuous course of conduct and are on-going.
“Erika directly agreed to receive the payments, personally signed the lottery forms directing the payments to her, and on information and belief, approved the stipulation authorizing the payments to her.
“Erika even withheld the 2021 payment. At all times prior to 2021, Erika concealed the existence of the lottery payments settlement and payment instructions.”
Lawyers claim the payments belong to the Girardi Keese bankruptcy estate and they are outstanding.
They added: “The fact that Erika has claimed that the Lottery Payments is her money and refuses to release it shows her knowledge and admission as to the nature of the Debtor’s income and operations.”
Erika’s lawyers are yet to respond to Thursday’s filing, and did not return a request for comment.
The documents claim the estate is owed no less than $25,592,261.26 plus interest in receivables from Erika’s company EJ Global LLC, which were transferred from her ex.
From 2008 to 2020, she allegedly spent more than $14million on her American Express card and $1.4million on unknown purchases – as well as more than $1.532million on dance agency McDonald Selznick Associates.
Her company forked out more than $102k on Erika and Kim Kardashian’s former assistant, Stephanie Shepherd, according to documents.
EJ Global also reportedly paid $17,415 to Opus Beauty – a management agency – and $1,000 to makeup artist Mario Dedivanoic who has worked with a number of A listers.
Thousands of dollars were also paid to E5 Global Media — which publishes The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, along with Los Angeles Times Magazine.
But Erika’s attorney insists that “no money whatsoever went to Erika” and that she never had a role in managing her ex’s company.
Erika filed for divorce in November and has denied wrongdoing after her ex was accused of misappropriating $2million intended for victims of Indonesia’s Lion Air 610 crash.
IN HOT WATER
Ronald Richards, the lawyer for the trustee overseeing the Girardi Keese bankruptcy, spoke to The Sun exclusively about the ongoing case this week.
“So far her legal fees have gotten her no victories in court and really only delayed the process,” he claimed.
“I don’t know what the purpose of her legal expeditions have been. They haven’t been effective for her at all, she would be much better off providing all the things that are requested so we can complete our investigation. And we’re hopeful that we get her continued cooperation.
“I think that if the position is, ‘Hey, I had a husband that just let me spend whatever I want, and I have no culpability because that money could be sourced to settlement payments that were not made.’
“That’s a misunderstanding of the law with respect to whether she’s going to have liability.”
Erika filed for divorce in November 2020 after more than 20 years with the lawyer, who she also accused of cheating on her.
Tom was recently disbarred, losing his right to practice law earlier this month after he was declared bankrupt, owing millions in liabilities and his belongings are being auctioned in an attempt to raise funds.
Erika claimed she had no idea that her husband had stolen any money, screaming “shut the f*** up” at co-star Sutton Stacke after being accused on an episode of the Bravo show.
In a preview for next week, Sutton tells Erika at Kathy’s dinner party: “I don’t trust that what you’ve told us is the truth.”
Erika responded: “You didn’t have to go out and get panicked about something that does not even affect you.”
She late added: “I’ll go head-on with you all f**king day.”
When Sutton tells her not to “talk to her like that,” Erika threatens: “or what? Or what?” later shouting “Shut the f**k up!”
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