The legal theatrics unfolded less than a week after a Los Angeles judge affirmed Girardi’s mental competency, a decision met with mixed reactions given the attorney’s storied career and recent downfall.
Girardi’s Criminal Trial Set For May : A Brief Retrospective
Girardi, once at the helm of the renowned personal injury firm Girardi Keese, saw his empire crumble in December 2020. A federal judge in Chicago found that Girardi and his firm had misappropriated at least $2 million from the survivors of victims in the 2018 Lion Air plane crash. This revelation prompted numerous former clients and co-counsel to come forward with similar allegations, leading to the firm’s forced bankruptcy.
The attorney gained national attention for his role in a $333 million settlement with Pacific Gas & Electric, a case that inspired the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich.” However, in early 2023, federal grand juries in California and Illinois indicted Girardi on 13 counts of wire fraud and four counts of criminal contempt. Girardi’s son-in-law, David Lira, and former chief financial officer Christopher Kamon were also indicted, all pleading not guilty.
Girardi’s Criminal Trial Set For May : May Trial Expected to Last Days, Not Weeks
On Wednesday, Ali Moghaddas revealed that the government had narrowed its case, focusing on four clients and five cases where Girardi is accused of illegally stealing settlement funds. Notably, the government avoids delving into the Lion Air case, aiming for a streamlined trial expected to last four or five days.
