Erika Jayne’s Ex-Husband Tom Girardi Jurors Questioned About Watching ‘RHOBH’: Inside Legal Battle

Tom Girardi’s trial for wire fraud is almost underway and the jury selection process was specific about his ex-wife Erika Jayne. In Touch obtained court documents that contained a questionnaire asking potential jurors if they watched The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

“Have you watched shows or other media on the Bravo network?” one question reads in the documents.

A separate prompt asked, “Have you seen, heard or read any other form of media, like podcasts, social media, blogs, etc. related to The Real Housewives or The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?”

Tom, 85, is preparing to stand trial after being accused of embezzling more than $15 million from clients when he worked as an attorney.

In 2023, Tom was charged for fraud for allegedly stealing money from victim’s families of a 2018 plane crash, a case that he worked on as an attorney. The former house husband was charged with eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of criminal contempt of court by a federal grand jury in Chicago.

“The substantial misappropriation alleged in this indictment compounded the grief and anguish of the clients who lost loved ones in the Lion Air crash,” U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. said in a statement at the time. “Attorneys who violate the trust of their clients and breach a fiduciary duty that is paramount to the practice of law must be held accountable.”

As for Tom’s marriage with Erika, 53, she filed for divorce in November 2020, one minute after he was hit with the image-tarnishing legal troubles.

Erika was initially included in the allegations but was later dismissed from the lawsuit in January 2022.

The lawsuit was a main storyline during seasons 11 and 12 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where Erika claimed her innocence to bother her costars and fans.

“My divorce is not a sham. It’s just not. Nobody wants to be in the position I’m in right now. It is really unenviable. Being the possible target of a federal criminal investigation is like, not cool,” the Broadway star told Kyle Richards during a season 11 episode of RHOBH. “To have all those things said about you which are not true, and then to have everyone, basically, question everything. It’s lonely and it’s quiet and you would be shocked by how quickly people turn on you. How quickly people distance themselves from you. Automatically, they turn because they don’t want to be involved. They were there when it was good, though.”

While most of her costars have supported Erika during the hard time, others like Denise Richards have questioned her innocence.

“And you’re the one that claims you didn’t know $20 million dollars was deposited in your f–king account?” the Wild Things actress told Erika during a fight during RHOBH season 13.

In February, Erika visited three of Tom’s victims, Josie Hernandez, Nancy Marston and Kathy Ruigomez, during an episode of the limited docuseries Housewife and the Hustler 2.

“With Erika meeting with the victims, and with everything happening with Tom Girardi in court related to his competency last year, it felt like the right time to make this documentary, ” ABC News producer Jake Lefferman told Variety at the time.