Keith Griffin, a 54-year-old former lawyer at the now-defunct Girardi Keese firm, pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026, to one count of criminal contempt in federal court in Chicago. He admitted to disobeying a court order from U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin to promptly distribute $7.5 million in settlement funds from Boeing to the families of victims killed in the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia, which claimed all 189 lives. The funds were received in March 2020, but Griffin acknowledged that the firm withheld full distribution for eight months despite client inquiries and his own confrontations with Tom Girardi. Griffin also admitted to withholding information from a co-counsel assisting in the case. The victims ultimately received their payments from another firm's insurer. This case stems from the broader scandal involving Tom Girardi, once a prominent trial lawyer known for his lavish lifestyle, who was disbarred in 2022 and convicted in 2024 of embezzling millions from clients, including in the Lion Air matter. Girardi is serving a seven-year prison sentence. Other firm associates faced consequences: David Lira, Girardi's son-in-law, pleaded guilty to contempt and received a sentence of four months in prison plus home confinement, while former CFO Christopher Kamon was convicted of wire fraud and sentenced to over five years. The plea highlights ongoing fallout from Girardi Keese's mismanagement and misappropriation of client funds, which contributed to the firm's collapse in 2020. Griffin's sentencing is scheduled for August 6, 2026.