Last week, Bethenny Frankel said that Tom Girardi's financial mess was an open secret for years.

She said that she herself had personal knowledge of him owing millions, borrowing from other wealthy associates.

It's no secret (open or otherwise) that Erika Jayne may be on the hook for her estranged husband's tremendous debts.

Bethenny says that Erika is clinging to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills because she desperately needs cash.

On Tuesday, September 28's episde of Bethenny Frankel's Just B with Bethenny Frankel podcast, the RHONY alum again brought up Erika Jayne.

"She needs the money," Bethenny pointed out.

That, she says, is why Erika continues to demean herself -- no matter how it makes her look -- on the show.

“She’s on the show, which is not a great idea," Bethenny explained.

It's often unwise to discuss an ongoing legal case on camera "because they’re investigating the whole thing."

Most defense attorneys would advise against discussing something like that on TV ... but then, defense attorneys also need to be paid.

"But probably [it's] something she needs or wants to do for her livelihood," Bethenny assessed.

“I think she did the show because she likes fame," she speculated.

"And," Bethenny opined of Erika, "she wants to stay relevant.”

Bethenny also made it extremely clear that this speculation is not based upon any sort of personal relationship.

“I don’t quote-unquote know Erika Jayne,” she clarified.

“I’ve met her," Bethenny confirmed.

"And," Bethenny continued, "we’ve done this sort of Instagram thing."

She added: "and she was at my house doing the crossover ‘Housewives’ episode."

But that is the tall and short of it.

"I have no idea if she knew [about Tom’s actions]," Bethenny strongly emphasized.

"I know nothing about their marriage," she stressed, "nothing about their life."

Bethenny wisely expressed: "We’re not all experts on someone else’s lives.”

In addition to being a fellow part of the Housewives franchise (alum or not, Bethenny is always relevant), Bethenny has other insights.

She is herself a tremendously wealthy woman, and travels in wealthy circles.

Bethenny has also had some of her own painful drama play out on reality television -- notably, her lengthy and agonizing divorce.

However, Erika's attorney insists (in a statement to Page Six) that Bethenny has no real knowledge about Erika's situation.

“Erika has no knowledge of the alleged loans or the conversations referred to by Ms. Frankel," the attorney said.

The lawyer continued to say that these were conversations "which even per Ms. Frankel, didn’t involve Erika."

"To me, this is another example of people trying to throw dirt on Erika based on alleged conversations," Erika's attorney opined.

That may be so, but is Bethenny actually saying anything unkind about Erika?

Is she even accusing her of anything?

To us, it sounds like Bethenny is discussing Erika's situation without accusing her of knowing or doing anything wrong.

Needing money from a hefty reality TV paycheck is not an accusation -- very few if any Housewives have done the show purely for fun.

Bethenny might be getting more attention for her podcast by bringing up Erika, but that doesn't hurt Erika, does it?

Bethenny has made other comments on her podcast recently that are much more controversial and, frankly, worthy of condemnation.

For some reason she decided to discuss the genitals of a trans girl who was at her daughter's summer camp, suggesting that she might not let Bryn sleep near a trans girl.

Bethenny has defended her appalling comments, even challing those unhappy to listen to her words for themselves. It's hard to see how that could be a defense.