Erika Jayne’s $2.2 Million Tax Bill Revealed!
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Erika Jayne, revealed her bleak financial status amid a legal dispute over a $1.4 million pair of diamond earrings.
Erika’s estranged husband, Tom Girardi, is currently embroiled in lawsuits after being accused of embezzling settlement funds owed to his clients. Tom and his law firm, Girardi Keese, were forced into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in December 2020. Erika filed for divorce in November 2020, but the case has been put on hold due to the ongoing bankruptcy case.
Many of the alleged victims are now going after Erika because they believe that she benefited from cash funneled from Tom’s firm. Tom’s alleged victims include orphans and widows who lost family members in a plane crash and a gas explosion burn victim. The court named a trustee to take over and sell off Tom’s property and assets, in order to pay off his creditors.
The trustee sued the Bravo star to turn over the earrings, which were purchased in 2007 by her then-husband for $750k. Tom was accused of using money owed to clients to pay for the pricey gift.
Erika asked the judge to allow her to keep the jewelry, claiming that she was an “innocent spouse” with no knowledge of her husband’s alleged shady business dealings.
The reality star wrote—“My only assets are my personal belongings (which include jewelry) and my income from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills television program. I also have miscellaneous sponsorship income related to appearances or endorsement of products.”
She added—“Also, in the past year, I have been trying to start a business related to hair extensions.”
Erika went on to describe her current tax debt predicament.
Erika revealed—“in approximately late May 2022, my business manager received an Income Tax Due Notice bill from the California Franchise Tax Board [(FTP) dated May 10, 2022 which states that I owe $2,226,985.77 in taxes for tax year 2019.”
She said that she was “in the midst of trying to figure out the basis of this tax bill with the assistance of my business manager, who is also an accountant.”
Erika admitted that she was unable to pay the tax bill.
“I do not have the ability to pay the FTP tax bill. I also do not know if the FTB is claiming any sort of lien on my assets, which include the diamond earrings,” she said.
Last month, Radar Online obtained documents that pointed to Erika working with the trustee presiding over the bankruptcy to hash out a deal over the earrings. Both sides reportedly informed a judge of a tentative agreement.
A May filing stated—“The appraisal has not been completed. The parties also have been engaged in settlement discussions, including an in-person meeting and several discussions between counsel.”
Erika and the trustee agreed to push the next hearing date to June 28, to allow for the completion of the appraisal.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs on Wednesdays at 8 pm, ET, on Bravo.
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Avigail is an Entertainment blogger at All About The Tea, who specializes in The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac. Avigail has a background in marketing. She’s a Brooklynite living in the Bahamas, with a passion for travel, writing, reality TV watching, pop culture and spoken word.