The former chief financial officer of the disbarred California attorney Tom Girardi’s law firm, Christopher Kamon, is preparing to plead guilty to federal charges related to the alleged theft of millions in client funds. Kamon’s plea agreement, filed on Tuesday evening, outlines his intent to change his previous not guilty pleas during a court hearing scheduled for Friday before U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton in Los Angeles.
According to the agreement, Kamon will plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud, thereby resolving the two criminal cases brought against him by federal prosecutors in California. He faces a maximum prison sentence of 40 years; however, prosecutors have indicated they will recommend a shorter sentence as part of the plea deal. Additionally, Kamon will be required to forfeit $3.1 million as part of this agreement.
As of now, Kamon’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California has declined to provide any statements regarding the case.
Both Kamon and Girardi, whose legal battle against Pacific Gas & Electric inspired the Oscar-winning film Erin Brockovich, were charged in February 2023 with five counts of wire fraud. They are accused of embezzling approximately $15 million from clients of their law firm, Girardi Keese, over a period spanning from 2010 to 2020.
In August, Girardi was convicted by a federal jury on charges of wire fraud, attempting to shift the blame for the missing funds onto Kamon during his trial. In addition to the California charges, Kamon faces separate allegations in Los Angeles for embezzling $10 million from Girardi Keese, which prosecutors claim he used for lavish home renovations, the purchase of exotic sports cars, and payments to an escort.
Kamon’s forthcoming guilty plea will settle both criminal cases in California, but he remains under indictment in Chicago for allegedly misappropriating over $3 million owed to the families of victims from the 2018 Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Last month, federal prosecutors in Chicago indicated they might drop related charges against Girardi following his sentencing hearing, scheduled for December 6, in Los Angeles. In a recent development, Girardi has requested a new trial in the California case, adding further complexity to the ongoing legal saga.
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