Bring it on? Erika Jayne seemingly sent a clear message after a judge ruled that Tom Girardi’s embezzlement victims can collect payments from her.
The 49-year-old Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star shared a GIF of herself from the Bravo series on Wednesday, July 7, hours after the news broke.
“The ice queen can take it,” the GIF reads.
Erika also “liked” a tweet that declared, “No ice, just a strong woman people hate to see it.”
Us Weekly confirmed on Wednesday that the Pretty Mess author may have to repay settlement funds intended for her estranged husband’s former clients amid allegations that Tom’s firm gave Erika’s companies $20 million over the years. The Ruigomez family, who were featured in Hulu’s The Housewife and the Hustler, can pursue a collections lawsuit against Erika to obtain the $11 million they are owed from Tom, 82.
“The Ruigomez Family, the Girardi Trustee and the GK Trustee shall cooperate with each other with their collection efforts against Erika,” the court documents obtained by Us read.
Us confirmed in November 2020 that Erika filed for divorce from Tom after more than 20 years of marriage. During Wednesday’s episode of RHOBH, the performer admitted that this was the first time she’s had to worry about money in 22 years.
“But let’s not forget, I wrote a New York Times best-selling book, I was just on Broadway, I had multiple shoe collaborations, a makeup collaboration,” she told Bravo cameras. “I have enough for Postmates, my little house, I’m alright. It’s OK.”
During another scene, Erika noted that Tom “had everything … all set up” when they wed. She was 27 years old at the time.
“I just inserted myself in there,” she said in a confessional. “Just because you ‘have a lot of money’ doesn’t mean you ‘have a lot of independence’ and if you’re not in charge of your own finances from the get, where are you going to go?”
In December 2020, Erika and Tom were accused of faking their split to protect their assets amid allegations that they embezzled settlement funds intended for the victims of families killed in Lion Air Flight 610. She will address the accusations for the first time in upcoming episodes of RHOBH.
“What’s being said is just, I mean, it’s insane,” Erika says in the promo for the July 14 episode. “That lawsuit that says my divorce is a sham so I could hide assets — people want to believe that. … I could have never predicted this f—king s—t.”
Tom, for his part, told the court in September 2020 that he lost millions of dollars and has “no money” left. Earlier this year, the former lawyer was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and subsequently placed under a conservatorship. During a hearing last month, a judge gave his brother, Robert Girardi, control of his person, his estate and finances.
“Obviously, I disagree with the conservatorship altogether,” Tom told the judge. “I think that we should put together the reasons why the conservatorship should be dissolved, and then we’ll address it, address the court. Right now, I have nothing to say to the court.”
