Erika Jayne Faces “Complete Disaster” as Designer Pushes for $300K Judgment in Fraud Lawsuit!
Erika Jayne may be headed for another major courtroom setback. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 53, is now facing a $300,000 default judgment after a recent legal filing from designer Marco Morante, who accuses her and her team of fraud and defamation.
According to court documents filed by Marco, known for his work with his fashion label Marco Marco, Erika and her co-defendants — assistants Laia Ribatallada and Michael “Mikey” Minden — have allegedly failed to properly respond to the lawsuit. Morante claims their inaction has left him no choice but to request a default ruling.
The issue stems from a missed court hearing in Florida, where Erika’s attorney Jim Wilkes reportedly failed to appear. Jim, who was working to get the case dismissed, had been notified of the court date but later requested an opportunity to explain his absence — though no such explanation has been officially filed.
In a May 20 post on X (formerly Twitter), attorney Ronald Richards, who has closely followed the case, commented on the seriousness of the misstep.
“The previous unauthorized motion to dismiss filed by Jim Wilke’s associated counsel is not being recognized by the Plaintiff and probably the Court,” Ronald wrote. “Erika is facing complete disaster in this case. This aggressive default motion could be the end for Erika in this case.” In the court filing, Marco requested that the court enter a default judgment unless Erika and her legal team formally respond within seven days.
“Plaintiff respectfully requests the entry of a default against all Defendants, with the proviso that Defendants can cure the default by filing an answer within seven (7) days of the default,” Morante’s legal team stated.
Ronald also shared additional details about the motion, stating in a follow-up post: “Here is the rest of the motion. It is a strong motion for default.” He noted that Erika’s initial motion to dismiss the case was rejected and, as of March 21, had not been refiled. The ongoing lawsuit stems from claims Erika allegedly made against Marco, accusing him of racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges on her American Express card.
Marco has denied those allegations and says Erika’s public accusations ruined his reputation and caused significant financial harm.
After years of litigation, Ronald Richards had previously indicated that Marco had not aggressively pursued a default judgment. But that has since changed, with the designer now pushing for a swift and decisive end to the case. If granted, the default could hold Erika and her co-defendants financially responsible for $300,000 — a costly blow amid her ongoing legal battles related to the bankruptcy of her estranged husband, Tom Girardi.
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Nancy Zhāng is an Entertainment Blogger for All About The Tea. Nancy covers hot topics, recaps and celeb news. She loves to multi-task as a writer and a private chef. She received a B.S. in Mass Communications from LSU. Nancy’s married and the proud mom of 2 German Shepherds.
