Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani ordered by judge to turn over all property of value to satisfy defamation judgment

By 
 October 24, 2024

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served as former President Donald Trump's personal attorney during the 2020 election, was sued for defamation by two Georgia election workers he accused of ballot fraud, was found liable by a court, and was ordered to pay the two women nearly $150 million.

On Tuesday, a federal judge gave Giuliani a week to turn over virtually all of his assets and personal property, including unique collectibles and items of sentimental value, to a receivership to be liquidated and sold to satisfy the judgment, Axios reported.

Shockingly, the forced seizure and likely imminent sale of Giuliani's possessions come as an appeal of the initial defamation judgment against him remains pending and could potentially be overturned.

Giuliani on the hook for nearly $150 million following defamation judgment

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Giuliani -- among many others -- accused Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss of election fraud after video footage appeared to show them acting suspiciously while counting ballots.

The two women, who are mother and daughter, sued the former mayor and president's personal attorney for defamation and won in a Washington D.C. court last year, where a judge ordered Giuliani to pay them $146 million plus interest and fees.

When Freeman and Moss attempted to collect on that judgment, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy protection but that claim was later dismissed by a bankruptcy judge, rendering him liable for collection once again.

Now, even though his appeal of the defamation judgment is still pending, a federal judge in New York has ordered him to turn over nearly all of his belongings to a receivership controlled by the two women so that they can be liquidated in sales to satisfy at least a portion of the judgment.

Judge orders Giuliani to turn over everything of value, including unique and sentimental items

In a 24-page order on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, a Trump appointee, wrote, "The Court finds that all of the items and interests listed in pp. 16-18 should be subject to turnover and receivership, in order to ensure that the liquidation of the transferred assets is accomplished quickly and consistently by the Plaintiffs’ chosen counsel, maximizing the sale value of the unique and intangible items and therefore increasing the likelihood of satisfaction of the Plaintiffs’ judgment."

"In the absence of a turnover order to a receiver, Plaintiffs would bear the unacceptable risk of delay and Defendant’s insolvency," the judge added. "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, for the reasons laid out below."

The order went on to list at length all of Giuliani's assets and property that must be turned over to a receivership, including a Manhattan apartment; legal claims for $2 million in unpaid fees from the 2020 campaign; the cash in his bank accounts; a collectible 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL500; a television and furniture; signed New York Yankees sports memorabilia and collectibles; jewelry and more than two dozen watches, including one from his late grandfather; and any other property of value that the court may become aware of.

The judge set dates for future hearings to determine whether Giuliani must also turn over his apartment in Palm Beach, Florida, which he has claimed as exempt under Florida's homestead law, and a trio of New York Yankees World Series rings that his son Andrew has claimed were gifted to him.

"They are attempting to take everything from him"

The Hill reported that a spokesman for Giuliani said he was being "unfairly punished by partisan, political activists," and that "It is painfully clear. They are attempting to bully and intimidate him into silence through the weaponization of our justice system and through obvious lawfare."

"The court order forces the mayor to relinquish deeply personal belongings, including gifts from his children and close family friends. They are attempting to take everything from him," the spokesman added.

As for Freeman and Moss, their attorney said in a statement, "We are proud that our clients will finally begin to receive some of the compensation to which they are entitled for Giuliani’s actions. This outcome should send a powerful message that there is a price to pay for those who choose to intentionally spread disinformation."

" A free people [claim] their rights, as derived from the laws of nature."
Thomas Jefferson