Disbarred lawyer Girardi pleads not guilty to client thefts
By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on charges he embezzled millions of dollars from clients he represented during a once prominent career. Girardi’s court appearance Monday in Los Angeles comes after federal prosecutors there and in Chicago accused him last week of stealing more than $18 million from clients. Girardi, whose estranged wife starred on “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” was disbarred last year, and creditors are seeking $500 million from his firm in bankruptcy court. Defense attorneys say the 83-year-old has Alzheimer’s and they are seeking an exam to see if he’s competent to stand trial.