A judge ruled that Rudy Giuliani must turn over some of his prized possessions, including his New York City apartment and sports memorabilia to two Georgia election workers.
The two Georgia election workers won a $148 million defamation judgment against Giuliani.
The ruling was made Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan, per The Associated Press.
However, Liman said Giuliani does not have to give up three New York Yankees World Series rings or his Florida condominium, at least for now. Liman said those assets are involved in other litigation.
The items the former New York City mayor must turn over could value millions of dollars for Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.
The pair won a $148 million judgment over Giuliani’s false ballot fraud claims involving them dating back to the 2020 presidential election.
They said Giuliani perpetuated former President Donald Trump’s lies regarding a stolen election. As a result, the two faced death threats.
Giuliani must turn over the items in seven days, including his Manhattan apartment, and his interest in about $2 million that he claims Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign still owes him for his services.
The assets also include a 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 previously owned by actress Lauren Bacall; a shirt and picture signed, respectively, by Yankees Joe DiMaggio and Reggie Jackson; a signed Yankee Stadium picture; a diamond ring; and 26 watches, including a Rolex, five Shinolas and two Bulovas.
One of those watches was a present from Giuliani’s grandfather. He asked the court to retain that due to its sentimental value, a request the judge denied because Giuliani did not prove it was less than $1,000.
“The Court also does not doubt that certain of the items may have sentimental value to Defendant,” the judge wrote. “But that does not entitle Defendant to continued enjoyment of the assets to the detriment of the Plaintiffs to whom he owes approximately $150 million. It is, after all, the underlying policy of these New York statutes that ‘no man should be permitted to live at the same time in luxury and in debt.’”
Liman said Freeman and Moss will be allowed to sell the property and “ensure that the liquidation of the transferred assets is accomplished quickly.”
The judge also rejected Giuliani’s request to prohibit Freeman and Moss from selling the assets until after his appeal is completed. Liman said Giuliani could have asked the federal court in Washington, D.C., to prohibit any asset sales pending his appeal, but he did not.
In a statement Tuesday night, Giuliani’s lawyers, Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski, said, “Stay tuned. When the judgment is reversed in the Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., these Plaintiffs will be required to return all this property to Mr. Giuliani. We repeat, stay tuned.”
