Lawyer Admits Criminal Contempt in Girardi Case

Keith Griffin, a 54-year-old California attorney, has pleaded guilty to criminal contempt in Chicago. This plea is connected to the failure of his former associate, Tom Girardi, to disburse millions of dollars in settlement funds to clients. Griffin worked alongside Girardi on litigation concerning the 2018 crash of Lion Air Flight 610.

Griffin's sentencing is scheduled for August 6. Prosecutors have indicated they will not recommend a sentence exceeding four months incarceration, while Griffin's legal team will advocate for probation. Griffin was initially charged with multiple counts of criminal contempt and failing to report a crime, following orders from U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin. Another attorney involved, David Lira, previously received a four-month sentence for a similar contempt charge.

Judge Durkin had previously criticized Griffin and Lira for their knowledge of Girardi's deception regarding client payments from Boeing in the Lion Air case. Girardi himself is currently serving over seven years in prison following a 2024 conviction for stealing $15 million from clients in a separate case. He is incarcerated at a federal medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, and is appealing his conviction.