A federal judge in Chicago has dismissed criminal charges against disbarred attorney Tom Girardi, famously known for representing plaintiffs in high-profile cases, including the landmark environmental contamination lawsuit depicted in the film "Erin Brockovich." Girardi, 85, had been accused of misappropriating more than $3 million from clients. He was already convicted on separate charges of wire fraud in Los Angeles federal court last year, prompting Illinois prosecutors to formally drop their pending case on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland approved the prosecutors' motion to dismiss the charges on Thursday night. The Illinois charges were tied to Girardi’s alleged theft of settlement money meant for families of victims of the Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air Flight 610 crash in 2018.

The charges against Tom Girardi stemmed from allegations that he misappropriated over $3 million in settlement funds intended for families of victims of the 2018 airline crash. Prosecutors alleged that Girardi diverted settlement payments meant for these grieving families into accounts he controlled, using the funds for personal and law firm expenses rather than distributing them to the rightful recipients. These allegations were central to the Chicago case, now dismissed following Girardi's separate conviction for similar financial misconduct in Los Angeles.

Federal prosecutors in Illinois had signaled for months that they might withdraw the charges against Girardi following his August 2024 conviction in California, where a jury found him guilty of wire fraud involving the theft of millions from clients.

Despite Girardi's charges being dropped, the case in Chicago remains active for his co-defendants. Prosecutors intend to proceed with a trial against Girardi’s son-in-law, David Lira, scheduled to begin July 14. Lira faces multiple charges, including wire fraud, criminal contempt, and making false statements related to the same Lion Air crash case. He has pleaded not guilty.

Additionally, Chris Kamon, former chief financial officer at Girardi’s now-defunct law firm, is scheduled to plead guilty to parallel charges in Chicago on July 9. Kamon was previously sentenced to 121 months in prison by a Los Angeles federal court for embezzling client funds.

Girardi, meanwhile, faces uncertainty over his sentencing in Los Angeles. U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton is currently deciding whether Girardi, who was hospitalized earlier this month due to liver dysfunction, should serve his sentence in a federal prison or a medical facility. Staton postponed a key hearing related to Girardi’s sentencing due to his hospitalization, requesting an update on his condition by next week.