Erika Jayne: The Untold Story Behind The Glamour

What’s the Deal with Erika Jayne’s Net Worth?

Let’s talk about Erika Jayne, the woman who’s made a name for herself in the world of music, acting, and reality TV. Erika Jayne, born Erika Chahoy, has a net worth of $5 million, and it’s safe to say she’s earned every bit of it. Now, while her singing career in the dance/club scene has been impressive, most people know her as a star of Bravo’s hit reality show, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." But there’s so much more to her story than just those highlights.

Early Days: A Journey from Atlanta to Hollywood

Erika Jayne’s journey started in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was born and raised. At just 18, she packed her bags and headed to New York City to chase her dreams of becoming an actress and singer. Can you imagine the guts it takes to leave everything you know behind and move to the big city? That’s exactly what she did. By the mid-1990s, she was already landing guest spots on TV shows, proving she had what it takes to make it in the entertainment industry. Eventually, she found herself in Los Angeles, the place where dreams either come true or shatter into pieces.

Here’s where things get interesting. Somewhere in the late '90s, Erika—still going by her birth name, Erika Chahoy—started working at a bar/restaurant in Beverly Hills called Chasen’s. This is where she met Tom Girardi, a lawyer and one of the co-owners of the place. Now, Tom wasn’t just any lawyer. He was a founding partner of Girardi & Keese, a litigation firm that specialized in consumer malpractice cases. Over the years, Tom earned a fortune taking on big-name clients and companies like Lockheed Corp, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

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Tom Girardi: The Man Behind the Money

Tom Girardi wasn’t just successful—he was legendary. Back in 1970, he made headlines by becoming the first attorney in California to win a settlement worth over $1 million for a medical malpractice case. Over the decades, he handled cases that brought in billions of dollars in judgments. One of his most famous cases was against Pacific Gas & Electric, which inspired the movie "Erin Brockovich" and awarded $333 million to 650 residents in Hinkley, California. That’s the kind of money we’re talking about here.

The Marriage That Changed Everything

Erika and Tom began dating in the late '90s. Picture this: Erika was in her late 20s, and Tom was in his 60s. They tied the knot in 2000 at the Los Angeles Country Club. But here’s the twist—they reportedly didn’t sign a prenup. At the time of their marriage, Tom was in the middle of a legal battle with his first wife over communal assets. According to court filings, Tom’s monthly income was a cool $263,000. Fast forward to November 2020, and Erika and Tom announced their separation after 21 years of marriage. Life’s funny like that, isn’t it?

Music Career: From Hobby to Headlines

By 2007, Erika decided it was time to reignite her passion for music. She released a track called "Roller Coaster," which hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Not bad for someone who was also juggling a reality TV career, right? In August 2009, she dropped her debut album, "Pretty Mess." Tom Girardi made sure she had all the best resources at her disposal, hiring Michael Jackson’s choreographer, RuPaul’s costume designer, and a songwriter/producer named Andreas Carlsson, who’s worked with Stevie Nicks, the Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Madonna.

Erika’s music didn’t stop there. She released nine singles that hit the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Dance Chart. Her songs even made appearances in films like "The Watch" and "The Neighbor" and the reality show "Toddlers and Tiaras." She even embarked on a tour of Asia, building a small but dedicated fan base. Talk about making a splash!

Reality Fame: Life on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"

In 2015, Erika joined the cast of Bravo’s "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." On the show, she didn’t shy away from promoting her music or flaunting her wealth. In fact, she once claimed she spent $40,000 per month on clothes alone. Can you believe that? This is the kind of extravagant lifestyle that made her a household name in reality TV circles.

Girardi’s Fall: From Riches to Ruin

While Erika was becoming a reality TV star, Tom was reportedly trying to secure loans for his law firm. In one loan application, Girardi claimed his net worth was $264 million. He listed ownership in two private planes, $9 million worth of jewelry, $3 million worth of antiques, and various real estate assets, including a Pasadena estate he valued at $15.5 million. He even "conservatively" estimated his firm’s 2016 legal fees would top $110 million. But things took a dark turn.

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One creditor, Law Finance Group, grew suspicious when they noticed millions being transferred to EJ Global LLC, Erika’s entertainment corporation. The total amount reportedly topped $20 million. The creditor sued, claiming their funds were being spent on Tom and Erika’s lavish lifestyle. Tom called the claims "fraud," but they eventually settled. Other creditors came forward, including a security company that demanded $53,000 and Tom’s first wife, who claimed her $10,000 monthly alimony payments had stopped.

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 as part of a settlement. In January 2020, Girardi agreed to pay the man $12 million but allegedly stopped after just $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 two former law partners, who claimed they were owed $750,000 and $1.5 million, respectively. A federal lawsuit accused Tom of embezzling "millions" of dollars owed to clients.

During testimony in late 2020, Tom revealed, "At one point, I had about $80 million or $50 million in cash. That's all gone. I don't have any money." When his stock portfolio, once worth $50 million, was examined, it was found to be worth only a few thousand dollars. Plaintiffs in the bankruptcy case claimed Tom and Erika’s divorce was a "sham," and that she was sitting on $20 million. Additional creditors came forward with similar claims of settlement money not being sent by Girardi.

Real Estate: The Rise and Fall of a Dream Home

For most of their marriage, Tom and Erika lived in a 10,000-square-foot mansion in Pasadena, California, sitting on 1.7 acres. They listed the home for sale in May 2021 for $13 million. Reports suggest that if the house sold, all proceeds would go toward paying off their debts. Erika reportedly moved out of the mansion the previous year, renting a place in LA’s Hancock Park neighborhood.

This home, designed by architect Myron Hubbard Hunt, is located on a private road above the Annandale Golf Club. It was completed in 1928 and exudes old-world charm. After months on the market, Tom and Erika finally sold the mansion in October 2022 for $7.5 million. It’s a far cry from the $13 million asking price, but in today’s economy, you take what you can get.