We have an update on Erika Jayne... the legal scandal that continues to swirl around her and her estranged husband... and the latest step Jayne has allegedly taken to try and extricate herself from this ongoing mess.
Buckle up and strap in, though, folks.
This is about to get complicated.
First, a brief refresher:
Jayne filed for divorce from Tom Girardi in November 2020.
She has since accused of her long-time partner of infidelity and pointed to Girardi's affairs as the basis for this split.
HOWEVER, the former couple has also been accused of using their divorce as a sham; as a way to embezzle money and hide assets from the victims of Lion Air Flight 610.
In December, you see, a class-action lawsuit was filed by loved ones of passengers who died in the aforementioned plane crash.
Girardi represented these loved ones and allegedly kept the funds awarded to the relatives by the airline for himself, a truly incomprehensible and devious crime -- if true.
The lawsuit claimed this is not the first time Tom kept funds meant for clients for himself, either.
It says he “continues to use that money to fund his and Erika’s lavish lifestyle, release personal guarantees, pay down loans, route the money to friends and family and satisfy other outstanding debts.”
Jayne, of course, has denied using her divorce as any sort of shield against the lawsuit.
Earlier this year, meanwhile, Giradi was forced into involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy by his numerous creditors.
In the middle of these financial woes, the once-respected attorney was placed under a conservatorship by his family.
They've claimed Girardi was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s and, as a result, the court appointed a trustee to take over control of Girardi’s finances.
Now that you're all caught up, here is the latest: the trustee has proposed selling off a number of Girardi's assets to pay down all this debt.
He recently proposed transferring all of Girardi’s interest in hundreds of concussion-related NFL lawsuits to another firm as a way to offload the work on Girardi's plate.
Jayne, though, objected to the legal move, believing these lawsuits could bring in $20 million for the estate.
She supposedly think that money could be used to pay off her husband’s alleged victims.
The thing is, Jayne is also asking for spousal support from Girardi.
She therefore has a personal interest in making sure his firm makes as much money as it possibly can, which is why the trustee has formally objected to Jayne's objection.
Read his submitted legal document:
"The trustee is legitimately concerned that Erika’s objections represent her latest effort to interfere with the Trustee’s administration of the Debtor’s case, and are part of a larger campaign to hinder the Trustee’s investigation of claims against Erika.”
The trustee, in other words, is looking out here for Girardi's creditors.
But Jayne, he argues?
“Erika’s feigned concern is nothing more than a distraction," continues the legal papers.
"In reality, Erika’s objections could derail the Trustee’s work to maximize the Estate’s value for the same creditors she claims to be looking after.”
A judge has yet to rule on the matter.