“It’s going to be much more next season,” the insider says, noting Erika, 50, has been the “sole focus this season.”

After being “put through the wringer and following producers’ orders,” the source adds that there’s “no question” that the TV personality is going to “demand a higher paycheck” if she returns next year.

“The ratings were off the charts because of her story line and what she’s exposed,” the insider explains. “What she’s dealing with [regarding] Tom [Girardi] and the court is not over yet so you can only imagine what next season is going to bring.”

While no salary has been agreed upon by Erika moving forward, her current paycheck was revealed during a lengthy exposé published by The New York Times earlier this month.

The outlet reported that the Pretty Mess author, who joined the show in 2015, made $600,000 for season 11. The alleged salary, however, doesn’t make a dent in the $25 million she is being sued for amid her 82-year-old estranged husband Tom’s bankruptcy case.

According to the NYT, Tom’s former firm, Giardi Keese, covered Erika’s expenses, including $1.5 million in payments to a talent agency. Court documents claim that there were also $260,000 in legal bills and $252,000 for a celebrity makeup artist and image consultant Troy Jensen on behalf of the Housewife.

Erika, who split from Tom in November 2020 after 21 years of marriage, has continued to maintain that she knew nothing of her estranged husband’s mishandling of money or shady legal dealings.

Investigator Ronald Richards, however, said that the Bravo personality is still “liable” for the $25 million. Erika’s attorney, Evan C. Borge, previously claimed in a statement to Us Weekly that the court-appointed trustee is mistaken.

“Mr. Richards has reached out and told me that he and the trustee want to settle. I have listened and will continue to listen,” Borge told Us earlier this month. “I can’t say enough that based on the evidence and law, Erika does not have liability for any of the claims against her. All the claims against Erika amount to efforts to blame her for the actions of others, including Girardi Keese and Tom Girardi.”

Erika and Tom were both accused in December 2020 of embezzling fund intended for families of plane crash victims — and Erika was later named in six civil lawsuits related to Tom.

Lawyer Jay Edelson confirmed to Us on Tuesday, October 12, that Bravo has now been subpoenaed for additional footage of Erika as the bankruptcy case continues.

“We have all seen Bravo ride the Girardi embezzlement scandal to historically high ratings,” the attorney exclusively told Us in a statement. “For the most part, Andy Cohen and Bravo have protected Erika, paying her — according to reports — as much as $600,000 to be on the show this year while allowing her to cast herself as the primary victim of Tom’s criminality.”

With reporting by Diana Cooper

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Johnni Macke