Judge freezes assets of ‘RHOBH’ star Erika Jayne’s lawyer hubby Tom Girardi, says he misused client funds

A judge held lawyer Tom Girardi in contempt Monday, saying the husband of “Real Housewives” star Erika Jayne misused $2 million awarded to victims’ families in the Lion Air Boeing 737 Max crash.

“The assets of Girardi Keese and Tom Girardi are now frozen until further order of the court,” U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin said in a minute order.

Durkin blasted Girardi’s conduct as “unconscionable” during a Monday morning hearing and said he was referring the issue to federal prosecutors for criminal investigation, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“No matter what your personal financial situation is, no matter what kind of pressures you are under, if you touch client money, you are going to be disbarred and quite possibly charged criminally,” Durkin said.

The judge said Girardi failed to follow “ethics 101.”

“You learn that in law school,” he reportedly said, “and someone as experienced as Mr. Girardi knows that as well as anyone.”

Lawyers representing Girardi said he no longer has the $2 million owed his clients and that his firm, Girardi Keese, has only around $15,000 in its operating accounts and recently missed payroll.

They said the longtime litigant was unable to help them prepare his defense and they had concerns about his mental competency, The Times reported.

Girardi, 81, and Erika, 49, were sued earlier this month by class action firm Edelson PC over the missing funds.

The lawsuit called Erika’s Nov. 3 divorce petition a “sham,” saying the couple of 20 years is trying to use the split to protect assets amid a “downward spiral.”

The Edelson lawsuit claims the couple skimmed client funds to support a “never-ending spending spree” and “project a public image of obscene wealth at all times” on the Bravo show, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

“Erika reportedly spends $40,000 per month on her ‘look,’” it claims. “Erika even performs a song called ‘Exxpen$ive,’ featuring the hook ‘it’s expensive to be me.’”

The 30-page lawsuit filed in federal court in Chicago even compares Girardi to convicted Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff.

Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea in October 2018, becoming the first major accident involving the new Boeing 737 MAX series aircraft.