A Federal Judge has ordered Rudy Giuliani to surrender significant assets as part of a defamation case judgment, but this leaves the question: what’s next for Giuliani?
At a Glance
- Rudy Giuliani is ordered to surrender his New York apartment and other assets following a defamation judgment.
- The assets are to be turned over to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
- The total judgment amounts to $146 million, but Giuliani has disclosed only $10.6 million in assets.
- Freeman and Moss are appointed as receivers of Giuliani’s property, including his luxury items.
- A jury found Giuliani defamed Freeman and Moss by wrongly accusing them of election fraud.
Federal Judge’s Order
Rudy Giuliani must turn over a variety of his assets, including his New York apartment, Mercedes-Benz, luxury watches, and more. This decision is led by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman as a result of a defamation lawsuit initiated by Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two election workers from Georgia who were defamed by Giuliani’s false claims of election fraud.
The court appointed Freeman and Moss as receivers of the properties, allowing them to sell the assets immediately. Giuliani has a limited time frame of seven days to comply with this order. His disclosure of merely $10.6 million in assets could mean that Freeman and Moss might receive far less than the judgment amount.
👀 Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss are asking a federal court to give them control of Rudy Giuliani’s assets to fulfill the $146 million defamation judgment against him. https://t.co/cVceoSbNcG pic.twitter.com/VHyDFUsLb4
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) August 30, 2024
Asset Turnover Details
The turnover includes an array of valuable items: a Mercedes-Benz, 26 luxury watches, nonexempt cash, a television, furniture, and even signed photographs. Some watches were reportedly gifts from foreign governments following the September 11 attacks. There’s also a separate issue about Giuliani’s son, Andrew, claiming three Yankees World Series rings as his.
“In the absence of a turnover order to a receiver, Plaintiffs would bear the unacceptable risk of delay and Defendant’s insolvency,” U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman wrote in his ruling. “The Court finds no good cause to impose additional limits on the time or manner of the liquidation or prosecution of any other item or interest on the list.”
A court hearing is scheduled for October 28 to decide on the fate of the rings, and on January 16, 2025, a bench trial concerning Giuliani’s Palm Beach condo will take place.
BREAKING: Former Georgia election workers seek control of Rudy Giuliani's assets to fulfill $146M defamation judgment. pic.twitter.com/5OEVqG7Fq1
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 30, 2024
Legal Battle Continues
Giuliani attempted to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy to delay the judgment, but the court dismissed it based on transparency concerns. Although Freeman and Moss have control over Giuliani’s assets, a significant portion of the judgment still seems elusive. Giuliani is also objecting to Freeman and Moss pursuing legal actions against former President Trump for unpaid legal fees, wishing to delay any lawsuits until after the upcoming election.
This case highlights the complications of legal judgments involving large sums and limited disclosed assets, potentially impacting political figures involved directly or indirectly. The legal proceedings and decisions in the coming days will determine the final outcome for all parties involved.
