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Jim Wilkes, a recently arrested attorney, has been making headlines due to his rumored date with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) star Erika Jayne amid her high-profile divorce from former attorney Tom Girardi. Jim Wilkes and Erika Jayne were spotted together at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas by Blonde Hair Black Heart podcaster Blake Adam.
A picture soon surfaced online where the two were seen wearing casual clothes and black sunglasses, which added fuel to the speculation surrounding their relationship.
As the rumors took social media by storm, Wilkes headed to Instagram to share a black-and-white selfie of himself and Jessica Collins. Although the former filed for divorce from Jessica in March 2021, he referred to her as his "wife" in the caption of his post, which read, "My wife and me. Having a nice moment."
Jim Wilkes is Tom Girardi's former associate
Jim Wilkes was born in Florida and gained recognition as a lawyer specializing in representing nursing home residents who suffered from abuse. He and his firm Wilkes & McHugh have been filing lawsuits on their behalf and fighting for justice. In addition to his legal career, Wilkes has been involved in the music industry and is the co-founder of Streamsound Records.
Jim Wilkes, who was a longtime associate of Tom Girardi, has reportedly been providing financial assistance to Jayne. According to court documents obtained by the US Sun, she has been receiving thousands of dollars in legal fees from Wilkes. The ballpark amount is just under $500,000.
This financial aid comes as Erika Jayne filed a summary judgment motion to remove herself from Girardi's legal case, which involved allegations of embezzlement and financial misconduct.
Jim Wilkes describes himself as a multi-faceted individual in his Instagram bio, which reads:
"US Army ‘69-72 Vietnam Vet songwriter, music publisher, lawyer, elder advocate, world champion boxing manager, political consultant [and] humanitarian."
However, like Girardi, Wilkes also has a criminal record. Last month, he was arrested and was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery after firing two shots inside his Tampa, Florida home during a domestic dispute.
Jim Wilkes claimed his actions were in self-defense, stating that he was attacked first, and in order to protect himself he grabbed a handgun and fired one round into the bed and another one into the bathroom wall only to scare the woman. The woman whose name has been redacted from the official report, however, had a different account of the incident.
Police obtained a risk protection order to remove guns and ammunition from Wilkes' home, and the women involved may face prosecution.
Girardi, now disbarred and diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer's disease and dementia, was accused of embezzling millions of dollars from his client's settlement funds to support Jayne's extravagant lifestyle. Erika Jayne filed for divorce from her husband of 21 years in November 2020.
Girardi's legal troubles continue to mount, with the former attorney facing multiple indictments, including the recent five counts of wire fraud.
It is important to note that neither Erika Jayne nor Wilkes has made an official statement about the recent rumors as of this writing.
