Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani finds himself entangled in a complex legal battle over assets tied to a defamation case involving two Georgia election workers. On Thursday, a federal judge warned Giuliani he could face civil contempt charges for allegedly failing to hand over assets owed to Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, whom he was found liable for defaming. The assets, including Giuliani's Manhattan apartment, a 1980 Mercedes, and other personal belongings, are part of a judgment that exceeds $146 million.
The hearing took place at a Manhattan federal courthouse, where U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman expressed frustration at Giuliani's apparent resistance to comply with asset surrender orders. Liman, who had previously mandated the transfer of property by October 29, described Giuliani's responses to asset inquiries as "farcical." He stated, "If he doesn't comply, then I'm sure that I'm going to get a motion for contempt. He's not going to be in contempt if he's made efforts and it's impossible to comply with the order, but that's the standard that he's going to be held to."
The legal dispute stems from Giuliani's false claims that Freeman and Moss committed ballot fraud during the 2020 presidential election while he represented then-President-elect Donald Trump. The defamation case reached a verdict in December 2023, awarding significant damages to the two women, whose reputations were severely impacted. Giuliani has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a move recently dismissed after the judge found he had failed to provide a comprehensive account of his financial status.
Giuliani, 80, pushed back strongly against accusations that he was evading asset forfeiture, labeling them as baseless lies. Outside the courthouse, he told reporters, "My apartment was filled with belongings. All the things that were appropriate were there. And the apartment was pretty full with things." He maintained that he has been cooperating and suggested the plaintiffs were being uncooperative by refusing to facilitate the transfer through his bank and co-op.
Kenneth Caruso, Giuliani's attorney, echoed his client's sentiments during the proceedings. Caruso accused Freeman and Moss of acting out of spite by attempting to seize a watch once owned by Giuliani's grandfather. However, Judge Liman dismissed these concerns, saying, "The law is the law."
Freeman and Moss's lawyer, Aaron Nathan, contended that Giuliani had been moving assets around, including opening new bank accounts and forming a new limited liability company. Nathan characterized these maneuvers as a potential effort to hide assets, adding, "It's troubling that we learned about it on Monday for the first time." Nathan also claimed that much of Giuliani's Manhattan apartment had been emptied, a charge that Giuliani vehemently denied.
Giuliani has faced numerous legal challenges since the defamation ruling. In addition to his disbarment in New York, he has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in Georgia and Arizona, where he is accused of assisting Trump's unsuccessful efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Nevertheless, Giuliani continues to maintain his loyalty to the former president. Asked if he had spoken to Trump since the most recent presidential election, Giuliani confirmed that he had but declined to elaborate, saying, "I'm not going to tell you."
