♪ this is "nightline." tonight, new jeopardy. the latest legal drama involving tom girardi. the once-famous, now infamous attorney and estranged husband of reality star and "expensive" singer erika jayne. ♪ it's expensive to be me ♪ >> clients, a mom and dad seeking justice. >> do you believe tom girardi

stole your money? >> of course, yes. yes. >> their lawsuit taking aim at the system that they say allowed his alleged misdeeds to be covered up for decades. >> it should have alarmed everybody at the state bar. how did this person accumulate 205 complaints and still have a law license? danny masterson from "that '70s show." >> they don't tell you you're going to get all after school special on me. >> to convicted felon sentenced to at least 30 years in prison for rape. the powerful and emotional impact statements from his victims. tennis phenom 19-year-old coco gauff heading into her first u.s. open final. (owner) purina one... we switched and wow! from day 1, its proven natural nutrition supports charlie's strong immune system... and ginger's healthy heart. (vo) healthy differences today and for a lifetime.

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♪ good evening and thanks for joining us. we begin with a new legal drama involving tom girardi, the once high-profile attorney disbarred. known to many for his marriage to "real housewives of beverly hills star" erika jayne, he is accused of stealing millions from clients. tonight the new lawsuit saying others should have done more to stop his alleged misconduct. here's abc's deborah roberts.

>> this is riverside avenue in rialto. we're heading to the monta s montecito memorial court where arturito were buried. >> reporter: for ana and artura, this marks the 20th birthday that never was. when the family moved to colton, california, like so many others, they dreamed of providing for their kids, dahlia and arturo jr., for a better life. >> we moved because of the price of the house. it was perfect for us. we never knew about those cement companies until later, of course, when our son got sick. >> reporter: little arturo was just 3 years old when they say the runny noses and headaches began. >> we decided to take him to the

hospital. to get checked. and the nightmare started right there. at the hospital. >> reporter: doctors told the family their son had a brain tumor. >> my husband was supposed to take him to the park to start his first game that day. and instead of that, we had to take him to the hospital. and he was over there at the hospital. he was screaming that he didn't want to be there, that he needed to go to baseball. >> reporter: they'd eventually learn others in their community living near cement plants were also getting sick. for years, arturo endured rigorous treatments, chemotherapy, radiation. but the cancer persisted. >> we had to get on our and ask the lord to take him. if we asked the lord that if he wasn't going to heal him, to take him, because it was so hard

to see him -- to see him crying and screaming of the headaches. "you gave him to us, and you take him if you want to take him, please please." it was the most difficult time. but we had to do it. >> reporter: arturo was only 6 years old when he died. >> reporter: as the family mourned, they put their faith in the slow wheels of justice and the now-controversial attorney, tom girardi. >> we were so confident that he was representing us. because at that time, you know, he was the king of lawyers in los angeles. and he was, you know, one of the best ones. >> reporter: they were one of many families who were part of a class action lawsuit against the cement company. in 2015, girardi settled the case to the tune of $31 million.

but eight years later, the family say they've yet to receive a penny, joining a chorus of former clients that have accused girardi of not considerati distributing their settlement founds. >> do you believe tom girardi stole your money? >> of course, yes. of course. >> reporter: now they say they're taking justice into their own hands, filing a class action complaint today, taking aim at the state bar of california, alleging gross negligence and reckless misconduct. saying the governing body in the case of tom girardi failed to do its job. >> in short, our accusations and allegations against the state bar are effectively negligence. we allege that the state bar has undertaken voluntarily a duty to protect the public. we allege that they basically fell down and didn't carry out that obligation. >> reporter: the filing saying the agency actively protected tom girardi and girardi

from ethical complaints for decades. this, just the latest development in the ongoing legal saga involving tom girardi, whose stunning fall from grace was documented in the abc news studios documentary "the housewife and the hustler." >> tom girardi was l.a. law, mr. lawyer, a super far, icon, bad-ass trial lawyer. >> weir just talking $15 million. >> he didn't just represent l.a.'s elite, he represented average folks too. >> reporter: girardi who owned girardi keys law firm famously won the real-life erin brockovich case. >> pg&e has requested we submit the binding arbitration. >> what's that? >> reporter: he was also known for his now-estranged wife, "real housewives of beverly hills" star erika jayne.

in her six seasons on the show, her lavish lifestyle with girardi on full display. >> i'm an enigma wrapped in a riddle and cash. >> reporter: flaunting her wealth in her music with songs like "expensive." ♪ it's expensive to be me ♪ >> reporter: federal prosecutors now say that lavish lifestyle was funded by lies, accusing girardi of swindling $18 million from his clients. earlier this year, girardi was arraigned on two federal wire fraud indictments. one in chicago for allegedly misappropriating more than $3 million in settlement funds intended for relatives of victims in the lion air 610 crash, a boeing air max that went down in indonesia in 2018, killing everyone on board. >> this man is corrupt. and this man is doing everything that is possibly -- you should not do. >> reporter: that case brought up in an episode on "the real housewives." >> orphans a s s and widows.

it makes you feel sick if you know any of this. >> no one knows the answer but him. >> reporter: the second indictment in l.a. for allegedly embezzling over $15 million from over a 10-year period from clients who suffered horrific injuries and loss. >> our investigation has revealed that, in fact, mr. girardi was robbing and stealing from those people who he claimed to be championing. >> reporter: girardi has pleaded not guilty in both cases. his attorneys arguing the 84-year-old is suffering from dementia and unfit to stand trial. that question was front and center last month at a hearing in federal court. >> what do you have to say to your former clients? >> reporter: a rare public appearance by girardi. former clients, including our family, getting a glimpse of a man who once held their trust. >> we're looking for justice. justice for our son. >> reporter: last year, girardi was disbarred. he claims he's bankrupt.

>> do you have any person al banking? >> no, i don't. at one point i had about $80 million. $50 million in cash. that's all gone. i also had a stock portfolio of about $50 million. that's all gone. >> reporter: back in march, the state bar of california releasing reports detailing its past handling of complaints against girardi, finding that girardi intentionally cultivated relationships at many levels in the state bar to increase his influence in the agency. >> there were 205 complaints filed against tom girardi over a 40-year period. the sheer number of complaints against girardi should have alarmed everybody at the state bar. how did this person accumulate 205 complaints and still have his law license? >> reporter: the family's civil lawsuit states, the disgraced

attorney's relationship with bar employees allowed girardi and girardi keys to steal millions from their clients and from referral lawyers while girardi showered his state bar connections with cash, gifts, jewelry, meals at expensive clubs and restaurants, private jet transportation, employment at his law firm, trips to las vegas, and more. >> it's almost hard to believe that girardi could shower these state barrow fishes with as much as he did and still be able to pay his clients sometimes. >> reporter: abc news reached out to tom girardi's legal team for comment on the new lawsuit but did not hear back. >> it's painful to come in here. because instead of imagining him laying down, resting, we would

love to have him running like other kids are running around here and playing -- b unfortunately, he had to go through this. and we just have to cope with it. to cope with the pain every day. >> reporter: justice may not ease their pain, but the family say they'll continue to fight for aartur until the very end. >> phil: abc news reached out to the state bar of california for comment who said, "the state bar has not been served with a lawsuit and as such cannot comment." danny masterson, sitcom star turned inmate, sentenced to at least 30 years in prison. when moderate to severe ulcerative colitis takes you off course. put it in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill. when i wanted to see results fast, rinvoq delivered rapid symptom relief and helped leave bathroom urgency behind.

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♪ >> phil: welcome back. the emotional drama unfolding in a los angeles courtroom as former actor danny masterson is sentenced to at least 30 years behind bars for raping two women. what his victims told the court today. here's abc's zohreen shah. >> reporter: for the victims of danny masterson, today was a day of reckoning. the former actor and now convicted felon brought to justice. masterson's two victims, who have not been publicly identified, termed jane doe one and two, saw their attacker in court sentenced to 30 years to life. >> i feel really happy that the victims feel that justice has been served. >> reporter: after two mistrials

ultimately led to a conviction in may, the former actor appearing in an l.a. courthouse today. jane doe one today saying through tears, "i wish i'd reported him sooner to the police." jane doe two telling masterson, "you relish in hurting women, it's your addiction, it is without question your favorite thing to do." >> the reaction from the victims in the courtroom was kind of a mixture of relief, but also sadness and a lot of just mixed emotions about what had happened. it's been a long road. victim impact statements about how -- what this has done to their lives and how this has disrupted them and stolen their joy were very emotional. so it was some relief to see what was happening, but i think it was also just an overwhelming moment for them. >> sexual assault victims feel that too much time has gone by, why should i come forward, is anybody going to take me seriously? you know.

is it going to be worth it? i think what this shows is, yes, there is justice despite all that. >> reporter: the charges, two counts of rape dating back to 2003 when the two unidentified victims and masterson were practicing scientologists. masterson, 37, could be 77 by the time he gets out of prison if ever released at all. a long fall from grace for the ex-sitcom star. >> mr. masterson did not commit the crimes for which he has been convicted, and we and the appellate lawyers who are the best and the brightest in the country are confident that these convictions will be overturned. >> oh, man. you need to get all after school special on me. >> reporter: masterson once starred as the wise-cracking best friend on "that '70s show" alongside topher grace, mila kunis, and ashton kutcher. the show propelled him to stardom. >> it's okay.

you're home now. >> get off me, man. >> you let me love you, orphan boy. >> reporter: ac cases came to light in 2017. more than a decade after the alleged 2003 assaults. by then, the actor was starring in a hit netflix show "the ranch" alongside ashton kutcher. >> what's up? >> who the hell's that? >> heather. you used to date her. >> reporter: as l.a.p.d. took up the investigation, masterson was dropped from the show. in 2020 he was arrested and charged. masterson was one of the most visible celebrity scientologists. a controversial religious group known for high-profile hold adherents. >> celebrities have great importance in scientology because l. ron hubbard, the founder of scientology, originally stated that celebrities are important, that celebrities set the trends in society, celebrities give you credibility.

>> reporter: abc news spoke to mike render last fall, a former scientology official who's become one of the church's most vocal critics and author of a recent memoir of. >> his time in the church "a billion years." in response to our interview, the church called rinder a liar. during trial all three women said they were initially hesitant to speak to law enforcement about the alleged assaults because they claim church teachings tell them >> there is a sense in scientology that it is not only better to keep things internal and handled within the organization, it is to assigning someone to hell to turn them over to law enforcement and the court system. >> reporter: during the most recent trial that began in april, prosecutors told the jury, the evidence will show that they were drugged, adding intimate details about the alleged rapes, saying masterson

drag the one accuser across the floor by her hair and sodomized another one. the defense countering in their opening statement that the alleged victims' stories are inconsistent and suggested the women colluded over time, adding that the case is "people versus masterson," not versus scientology. the women accusing masterson eventually left the church. in a statement provided to abc news, the church of scientology said, the church was not a party to this case. the church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone. scientolog scientologists talk to law enforcement. all allegations to the contrary are false. >> i think this case has so many personal ties for people. i definitely think it's the positive sign for victims and women who want to come forward, that if this is a conviction that they're looking for, they might be able to get it.

>> phil: our thanks to zohreen. up next, tennis phenom coco gauff smashing her way into her first u.s. open final. ( ♪ ) nissan has a car for everyone. (engine revving) every driver who wants more. more turbo. ( ♪ ) more freedom. ( ♪ ) more electric. ( ♪ ) (engine revving) at nissan, more is all we do. ( ♪ ) ♪ (nissan mnemonic) ♪ (owner) purina one... we switched and wow! from day 1, its proven natural nutrition ( ♪ ) supports charlie's strong immune system... and ginger's healthy heart. (vo) healthy differences today and for a lifetime. purina one. a difference from day one. my frequent heartburn had me

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6-4, 7-5, the youngest american player to reach the finals since serena williams in 2001. >> it means a lot to be in the final. a lot to celebrate. but the job is not done. hopefully you guys come back me on saturday. >> phil: tonight she had to overcome a 50-minute delay caused by climate protesters. she will be back on the court saturday looking to win her first u.s. open title. that's "nightline." watch all full episodes on hulu. we'll see you back here at the same time tomorrow. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america.