Rudy Giuliani Ordered to Surrender NYC Apartment, Assets \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Rudy Giuliani has been ordered to hand over multiple assets, including his New York City apartment, valuable memorabilia, and luxury watches, following a $148 million defamation judgment awarded to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. The ruling comes after Giuliani falsely accused the women of election fraud in 2020, leading to threats on their lives. While some of Giuliani’s assets are tied up in other legal disputes, Freeman and Moss will begin receiving compensation from the sale of his property.
Giuliani Asset Forfeiture: Quick Looks
- Defamation ruling: Giuliani must surrender assets to settle a $148 million defamation judgment.
- Significant assets: Includes his NYC apartment, 26 luxury watches, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz, and sports memorabilia.
- Exempt items: Giuliani retains his Florida condo and Yankees World Series rings, pending further litigation.
- Judgment beneficiaries: Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss won the lawsuit over Giuliani’s false election fraud claims.
- Ongoing legal challenges: Giuliani has not yet paid anything to Freeman and Moss; appeals and legal disputes continue.
Deep Look
Rudy Giuliani, once celebrated as “America’s Mayor” for his leadership following the 9/11 attacks, is now grappling with significant legal and financial challenges. A federal judge has ordered him to relinquish a series of valuable assets in an effort to satisfy the $148 million defamation judgment awarded to Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss. The two Georgia election workers filed the lawsuit against Giuliani after he falsely accused them of participating in voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election, leading to widespread threats and harassment.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan on Tuesday, demands that Giuliani surrender his New York City apartment, estimated to be worth over $5 million, as well as other high-value possessions, including over two dozen luxury watches, a classic Mercedes-Benz, and a collection of sports memorabilia. These assets will be sold to help cover the enormous judgment Freeman and Moss won against Giuliani, whose false claims about their involvement in election tampering placed them in danger and disrupted their lives.
Freeman and Moss, who worked as election workers in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election, became the targets of conspiracy theories perpetuated by Giuliani and other Trump allies. These baseless claims of voter fraud contributed to the larger narrative that the election was stolen, which culminated in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Freeman and Moss’s lawsuit claimed that Giuliani’s false allegations not only endangered their personal safety but also caused emotional distress and damaged their reputations. A federal court agreed, awarding them a $148 million judgment as compensation for the harm they suffered.
Other items that must be handed over to Freeman and Moss include a 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500, once owned by Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall, which has significant value as a collector’s item. Giuliani’s collection of luxury watches, including a Rolex, several Shinolas, two Bulovas, and a Tiffany & Co. watch, must also be turned over. In total, Giuliani must relinquish 26 watches, some of which carry considerable value.
Alongside the watches, Giuliani must surrender a series of sports memorabilia, which includes items signed by baseball legends Joe DiMaggio and Reggie Jackson. These items include a shirt signed by DiMaggio, a picture signed by Jackson, a signed photograph of Yankee Stadium, and various other valuable collectibles. Additionally, a diamond ring and pieces of costume jewelry must also be turned over for liquidation.
One of the more personal items Giuliani requested to keep was a watch given to him by his grandfather. The former mayor asked the judge to allow him to retain this heirloom due to its sentimental value, but Judge Liman rejected the plea. Liman explained that while the item may hold sentimental worth, Giuliani failed to demonstrate that the watch was worth less than $1,000, which would have made it exempt under New York law. Liman noted that “however painful the circumstances, a party cannot claim that every family heirloom should be exempt” from asset forfeiture, particularly in a case involving such a large debt.
Despite these forfeitures, not all of Giuliani’s assets are being seized immediately. Judge Liman ruled that Giuliani does not yet have to surrender three New York Yankees World Series rings or his condominium in Palm Beach, Florida, which is valued at over $3 million. However, these items are tied up in separate legal disputes. Giuliani’s son, Andrew Giuliani, has filed documents in federal court claiming ownership of the World Series rings, stating that his father gave them to him as gifts in 2018. The rings, commemorating the Yankees’ championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000, were awarded to Rudy Giuliani during his time as mayor of New York City. Whether Andrew Giuliani’s claim will be upheld is yet to be determined, as the matter remains under litigation.
As for the Florida condominium, Freeman and Moss have placed a lien on the property as part of their efforts to collect the judgment. Giuliani has argued that the condo should be exempt from forfeiture because it serves as his primary residence, but the judge has yet to rule definitively on this issue. A hearing regarding the Palm Beach property is scheduled for October 28, and Giuliani has been barred from selling or diminishing the value of the condo in the meantime.
While the sale of these assets may bring some compensation to Freeman and Moss, the legal process remains ongoing, and Giuliani has yet to pay any portion of the $148 million judgment. His financial difficulties intensified earlier this year when he filed for bankruptcy protection. The bankruptcy filing temporarily halted Freeman and Moss’s efforts to collect, but the case was thrown out in July after a judge cited Giuliani’s failure to comply with court orders and disclose sources of income. His uncooperative conduct in the bankruptcy proceedings has only added to his mounting legal woes.
For Freeman and Moss, the judge’s ruling represents a significant step toward securing the compensation they were awarded. In a statement released by their legal team, attorney Aaron Nathan said, “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.”
Giuliani had requested that the judge delay the sale of his assets until after his appeal of the defamation judgment is resolved, but Judge Liman refused. Liman noted that Giuliani could have asked the Washington, D.C. court, where Freeman and Moss won their defamation case, to stay the liquidation of his assets pending appeal, but he had not done so. Liman further emphasized that while Giuliani may have sentimental attachments to some of the items, he cannot retain luxury possessions at the expense of the plaintiffs, to whom he owes a significant debt.
As Giuliani continues his legal appeals, his financial situation remains precarious, and the ongoing litigation over his assets, including the Florida condo and the World Series rings, will likely extend for months, if not longer. Still, this ruling marks a critical step in Freeman and Moss’s quest for justice, bringing them closer to receiving the compensation they deserve for the harm caused by Giuliani’s false claims.
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