Disgraced lawyer Tom Girardi sentenced to 87 months for stealing $15M from clients in Ponzi scheme

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former legal heavyweight Tom Girardi has been sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison for stealing $15 million from injured clients in a long-running Ponzi scheme.

Girardi, who turned 86 on Tuesday, was ordered to surrender to begin his prison sentence on July 17. He was also directed to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution and fines.

The sentencing came a day after U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton said that despite Girardi's age-related dementia, she would sentence him to prison rather than placement in a long-term care facility.

Girardi became known as a champion for the powerless, often defending people against powerful corporations, before he was convicted last year of stealing settlement money from four of his clients.

Girardi didn't answer any questions as he left the downtown L.A. courthouse.

He was facing more than 14 years in prison. He addressed the judge Tuesday during a rambling dialogue, saying that mistakes were made but that everyone received their money.

His legal team painted him as a frail man with dementia who should be allowed to stay in his Seal Beach nursing home instead of serving time in prison. The judge agreed his age and physical condition should lessen the sentence, though not let him completely off the hook.

"Seven years is a substantive amount of time for someone at his age and condition," U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. "I think for him, this effectively could be a life sentence."

Girardi has 45 days to take care of medical issues before heading to prison on July 17.

City News Service contributed to this report.