Viewers of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills aren't the only ones asking what Erika Jayne really knew and when she knew it.

An attorney has been hired to delve into her finances and financial history.

That investigator is now explaining the potential case against her.

He has a lot of questions ... not just about the money, but about Tom Girardi's Alzheimer's diagnosis.

Ronald Richards shared some of his informed legal opinions and spoke about his investigation in a recent podcast appearance.

Though his role obviously makes him a less than neutral party, it's still interesting to hear all sides of this conversation.

He explained to Juicy Scoop what exactly he's looking for, and some of this could actually help Erika. Maybe.

“The law firm had a lot of jewelry expenditures," Richards noted.

He continued: "I can tell you that there’s a strong probability that a lot of the jewelry purchases went to his wife."

That much seems likely, though claims that Tom cheated on Erika do raise at least some questions.

“I’m sure she’s just contending they’re gifts," Richards noted.

"[But] on the legal side, you really can’t have millions of dollars worth of jewelry," he insisted.

At least, Richards continued, not "where it’s client’s settlement money or wrongfully appropriated attorney’s fees or lender fees.”

Earlier this summer, Erika was spotted wearing a ring that those familiar with jewelry estimated to be worth $189,000.

In the aftermath of Tom being accused of embezzling millions from the orphans and widows of plane crash victims, it caused a stir.

However, Ronald Richards said that he's not interested in anything that he would consider Erika's personal belongings.

That doesn't mean that she's in the clear, however. Not if what she believes were gifts were bought with stolen funds.

“Hypothetically, if she got $1 million in jewelry, she’s going to have to cut a check for some of these jewelry purchases," Richards predicted.

He explained that this would be "because it’s not really fair to the victims."

Richards also spoke about Tom Girardi's diagnosis. He has serious doubts.

“The doctor that examined him, the probate judge doesn’t have the same sort of sensitivities," he said.

Richards continued: "if he’s willing to take an examination that’s based on just self-reporting, not MRIs or physical exams."

“I think this is part of his desperate protection mechanism," Richards accused.

“There was a lot of communications with Mr. Girardi to his family members, including Erika, close to the time he was about to be held in contempt," he noted.

Richards then claimed: "Those would be inconsistent with someone that has dementia."

That might depend upon the nature of the communications.

Dementia patients speak on the phone and even make calls all of the time.

Not everything "goes" at once.

However, this is where things might help Erika ... potentially.

If Erika were to learn and then be able to prove or provide evidence that Tom is allegedly lying about the diagnosis, it could help.

At the very leash, Richards added, "it would show she's not involved."

Richards also doubts that Tom sustained a traumatic brain injury from his alleged car accident.

“There’s no medical records to collaborate any of that,” he claimed.

Richards accused: “She has an important narrative she’s trying to tell.”

Richards shared that he is also looking into where Erika is getting the money to pay her hefty attorney's fees.

His suspicion is that she might be getting the money from a third party who could have received allegedly stolen funds from Tom.

However, Richards notes that this is not a criminal investigation, as Erika stole nothing -- at worst, she might be liable financially.