Tom Girardi Deemed Competent to Stand Trial by Judge: Reports

U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton filed an “order finding defendant competent to stand trial" on Tuesday

A federal judge has determined that embattled ex-lawyer Tom Girardi is competent to stand trial, according to multiple reports.

According to The Los Angeles Times, U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton filed an “order finding defendant competent to stand trial" on Tuesday.

The outlet reported that "the order was placed under seal until lawyers for both sides have a chance to identify information in it that they want to be kept confidential, such as health records or other sensitive material." The order is under seal for at least five days, per Courthouse News.

Related: Tom Girardi, Estranged Husband of 'RHOBH' Star Erika Girardi, Indicted on Fraud Charges

The news comes nearly a year after a federal jury in California charged him with five counts of wire fraud for allegedly embezzling more than $15 million from several of his legal clients in February 2023.

That same month, Girardi, 84, was also indicted on fraud charges by a federal grand jury in Chicago for allegedly stealing more than $3 million in settlement funds intended for the families of the passengers killed in the 2018 crash of Lion Air Flight 610.

The former attorney, who ran the Los Angeles law firm Girardi Keese, was charged with eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of criminal contempt. David R. Lira and Christopher K. Kamon also worked at the law firm and were both charged with 12 criminal counts.

The State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022.

Related: What to Know About Tom Girardi and the Charges Against the Disgraced Former Lawyer

Girardi has been living "restricted memory care unit" at an assisted living facility since October 2022, following his dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in March 2021.

According to court records previously obtained by PEOPLE, his dementia diagnosis, classified as a "major neurocognitive disorder," was the reason his younger brother Robert Girardi became the official conservator of Girardi’s person and estate in July 2021. He and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne are in ongoing divorce proceedings.

Girardi's lawyers noted his declining mental state in a court filing in June 2023, causing the need for a competency hearing to be held. During the third day of the hearing in September 2023, he lashed out at Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Moghaddas, telling him, “F--- you.”

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Moghaddas told U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton, per The Los Angeles Times, “Your honor, I want the record to make clear that the defendant said ‘f--- you’ to me." While the outlet reported that the remark was not able heard in the courtroom, Girardi’s lawyers did not refute the accusation.

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