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In a courtroom thick with tension and betrayal, the former chief financial officer of Girardi Keese, Christopher Kamon, was sentenced Friday to 10 years and one month in federal prison for helping disgraced attorney Tom Girardi swindle $15 million from clients—and for skimming an additional $6 million for himself. The dramatic judgment underscores a sordid chapter of legal corruption that rocked California’s legal elite.

A House of Cards Built on Lies and Luxury

U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton handed down the 121-month sentence during a gripping two-hour hearing. Shackled and emotionless in a white jail uniform, Kamon stood by as his fate was sealed. In addition to the prison term, Judge Staton imposed three years of supervised release and ordered Kamon to pay nearly $9 million in restitution.

Kamon, 51, pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud, admitting that he not only enabled Girardi’s theft of client settlement funds but also orchestrated his own financial scam through fake vendor invoices. These “shadow invoices” funded a lifestyle dripping in extravagance—think private jets, luxury cars, and opulent home remodels.

Symbiosis of Crime

While Kamon played what might be called a "supporting role" to Girardi’s headline-making fraud, Judge Staton noted that their schemes were “symbiotic”—intertwined in both access and motive.

“Assisting Girardi put him in a position to steal millions of dollars from the firm itself,” said Judge Staton. “The defendant’s fraud had devastating and far-reaching effects.”

Prosecutors portrayed Kamon as Girardi’s right-hand man, a complicit operator who parlayed his insider access into personal fortune. Their recommended sentence was accepted by the court, placing Kamon at the bottom of the federal guidelines range.

A Web of Deception and Denial

Elissa Miller, the bankruptcy trustee overseeing the collapse of Girardi Keese under Chapter 7, advocated fiercely for a stiff sentence. She accused Kamon of exploiting chaos and showing zero cooperation in efforts to recover lost assets.

In a last-ditch plea, Kamon offered a muted apology. “I’m not a horrible person,” he said. “I’ve tried to correct this as best I can. I don’t really understand all this completely, but I just want to make it right.” He asked the judge for a sentence of just 30 months—his request was summarily denied.

Kamon has already served 28 months since his 2022 arrest, which will count toward the sentence. He also faces related criminal charges in Illinois, though his attorney, Michael Severo, indicated a plea deal may allow that sentence to run concurrently.

Federal Response and Fallout

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli called Kamon a "key player" in the massive fraud that crumbled Girardi Keese, once one of California’s most feared litigation firms. “Ironically, it was Kamon’s own lies that accelerated the law firm’s demise,” Essayli said in a post-sentencing statement. “We hope the sentence imposed today brings a measure of justice to his victims.”

Defense attorney Severo labeled the sentence “excessive” and confirmed plans to appeal.

Girardi’s Future Still Hangs in Balance

Tom Girardi, 85, who was expected to be sentenced in December, is still awaiting judgment as the court weighs his competency. Diagnosed with dementia, Girardi may be committed to a medical facility instead of serving time behind bars. A psychiatric evaluation and a competency hearing are scheduled for next month.

Kamon was represented by Michael V. Severo of The Severo Law Firm, while the U.S. government’s case was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Paetty.