Often when somebody keeps a voicemail on their phone for years there are sentimental reasons: A last message from a lost loved one. Words of encouragement from a friend during a tough time. Something unexpected and sweet from a child or sibling. Those sorts of things.

Well, I’ve had one voicemail on my phone for more than four years now that couldn’t be further from those sentiments: It’s a message Tom Girardi sent me in January 2019 after I reached out to him for comment about a lawsuit a litigation funder filed against him and his law firm for repayment of a multimillion-dollar loan. The lawsuit turned out to be a sign of things to come for the mass torts powerhouse-turned-criminal defendant.