Net Worth Ranker
What Is Erika Jayne’s Net Worth?
Erika Jayne, an American actress, singer, and reality television personality, has an estimated net worth of $5 million. While she has achieved some success as a singer in the dance/club music scene, she is most widely recognized for her role as a cast member on the Bravo reality television series “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
Erika Jayne’s Early Career and Musical Pursuits
Born Erika Chahoy in Atlanta, Georgia, Erika moved to New York City at the age of 18 to pursue a career in acting and singing. In the mid-1990s, she secured a few guest appearances on television shows. Eventually, she relocated to Los Angeles. In the late 1990s, while still using her birth name, Erika Chahoy, she worked at a bar/restaurant in Beverly Hills called Chasen’s. One of the restaurant’s co-owners was a lawyer named Tom Girardi. Tom Girardi amassed a substantial fortune as a founding partner of Girardi & Keese, a downtown Los Angeles litigation firm specializing in consumer malpractice cases. Girardi gained prominence in 1970 for being the first attorney to win a settlement exceeding $1 million in a medical malpractice case in California. Over the years, Tom handled cases against major corporations like Lockheed Corp, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Pacific Gas & Electric Co., securing billions in judgments. Notably, his case against Pacific Gas & Electric, which resulted in a $333 million award to 650 residents in Hinkley, CA, served as the inspiration for the movie “Erin Brockovich.” Around 2007, Erika decided to pursue a music career. In 2007, she released a track titled “Roller Coaster,” which reached the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. In August 2009, she released her debut album, “Pretty Mess.”
Tom Girardi supported Erika’s music career, securing resources, including Michael Jackson’s choreographer, RuPaul’s costume designer, and songwriter/producer Andreas Carlsson, who had penned hits for artists such as Stevie Nicks, the Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Madonna. Erika released nine singles that reached #1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart. Her music has been featured in films such as “The Watch” and “The Neighbor”, and also in the reality show “Toddlers and Tiaras”. Erika also embarked on a tour of Asia, where she garnered a small following.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Financial Scrutiny
In 2015, Erika joined the cast of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” During her time on the show, she promoted her music and showcased her lifestyle, including claiming to spend $40,000 per month on clothes. While Erika gained fame on reality TV, Tom Girardi reportedly sought loans for his law firm. According to an LA Times report, in a loan application, Giraldi estimated his net worth at $264 million. The filing included ownership of two private planes, $9 million in jewelry, $3 million in antiques, and real estate assets, including a Pasadena estate valued at $15.5 million. He “conservatively” estimated his firm’s 2016 legal fees would exceed $110 million. Law Finance Group, a creditor, grew concerned after examining Giraldi’s books and discovering millions of dollars transferred to EJ Global LLC, Erika’s entertainment corporation. The transferred amount allegedly exceeded $20 million. The creditor sued for repayment, claiming the funds were used for Tom and Erika’s lifestyle. Tom denied the claims. Other creditors, including a security company assigned to protect their Pasadena home (demanding $53,000) and Tom’s first wife (claiming her $10,000 monthly alimony payments had ceased), also came forward.
One of Girardi’s clients, a man who suffered burns in a 2010 PG&E pipeline explosion, claimed he hadn’t received millions owed to him from a settlement. In January 2020, Girardi agreed to pay the man $12 million but allegedly stopped payments after only $1 million. The family sued, placing a lien on roughly $23 million worth of Girardi and Jayne’s assets. In December 2020, Tom and his law firm were forced into involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy. His creditors included his former law partners, who claimed they were owed $750,000 and $1.5 million, respectively. A month earlier, a federal lawsuit accused Tom of embezzling “millions” of dollars owed to clients. According to the Los Angeles Times, during testimony given in late 2020 Tom revealed that: “At one point, I had about $80 million or $50 million in cash. That’s all gone. I don’t have any money.” Upon examination, Tom reported that his stock portfolio which at one time was worth $50 million, was now worth only a few thousand dollars. According to court testimony a year earlier, a creditor claimed that Girardi transferred $20 million to Erika’s entertainment company. Plaintiffs in the bankruptcy case claimed Tom and Erika’s divorce was a “sham”, and that she was sitting on that $20 million. Additional creditors reportedly came forward with similar claims of settlement money not being sent by Girardi.
Real Estate and the Dissolution of Marriage
For the majority of their marriage, Tom and Erika resided in a 10,000 square-foot mansion in Pasadena, CA, situated on 1.7 acres. In May 2021, they listed the home for sale at $13 million. According to reports, the proceeds from the sale would go towards satisfying their debts. Erika reportedly moved out of the mansion the previous year, relocating to a rental in LA’s Hancock Park neighborhood. The house, designed by architect Myron Hubbard Hunt, is located on a private road above the Annandale Golf Club. Construction was completed in 1928. Tom and Erika sold this home in October 2022 for $7.5 million.
Legal Battles and Financial Implications
Erika Jayne’s net worth of $5 million is subject to change due to ongoing legal battles and financial scrutiny surrounding her and her former husband, Tom Girardi. The legal proceedings have brought into question the sources of their wealth and the handling of funds. The bankruptcy case involving Girardi’s law firm and allegations of embezzled funds have had a direct impact on Erika Jayne’s finances and public image. Claims from creditors and legal actions have added to the uncertainty surrounding her financial standing. The sale of their Pasadena mansion and other assets were intended to help satisfy outstanding debts. The court cases are ongoing, and the final outcome could have substantial consequences for Erika Jayne’s net worth and financial future. Her income from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” music career, and other ventures are being closely examined in the context of these legal proceedings.
