Trump's ex-lawyer Rudy Giuliani ordered to turnover apartment to poll workers

New York City,UPDATED: Oct 23, 2024 13:50 IST

Rudy Giuliani must turn over sports memorabilia and other prized possessions to two Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgement against him, including his New York City apartment, more than two dozen luxury watches and a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

But US District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan also said Giuliani does not have to give the election workers three New York Yankees World Series rings or his Florida condominium -- for now -- noting those assets are tied up in other litigation.

The property Giuliani must relinquish is expected to fetch several million dollars for Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.

They won the $148 million judgement over Giuliani’s false ballot fraud claims against them related to the 2020 presidential election. They said Giuliani pushed Donald Trump’s lies about the election being stolen, which led to death threats that made them fear for their lives.

Under Tuesday’s order, Giuliani must relinquish within seven days his Manhattan apartment, estimated at more than $5 million, as well as his interest in about $2 million that he says Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign owes him for his services.

Also on the list of assets that must be given to Freeman and Moss are a 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 previously owned by Bacall; a shirt and picture signed, respectively, by Yankees legends Joe DiMaggio and Reggie Jackson; a signed Yankee Stadium picture; a diamond ring; costume jewellery and 26 watches including a Rolex, five Shinolas, two Bulovas and a Tiffany & Co.

In court documents filed earlier this year, Giuliani estimated the Mercedes was worth about $25,000, and the watches, World Series rings and costume jewellery at about $30,000. He said the value of his sports memorabilia was unknown.

One of those watches was given to Giuliani by his grandfather and he asked that he be allowed to keep it because of its sentimental value. But Liman rejected the request, saying Giuliani could have had it exempted if he had proven it was worth less than $1,000, but he did not do so.

“The Court also does not doubt that certain of the items may have sentimental value to Defendant,” the judge added.

“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 wrote that Freeman and Moss would be allowed to sell off the property and “ensure that the liquidation of the transferred assets is accomplished quickly”.

Giuliani had asked the judge to bar Freeman and Moss from selling any of his assets until after his appeal of the judgement is completed.

Liman also rejected that request, saying Giuliani could have asked the federal court in Washington, D.C., where Freeman and Moss won their case, to stay any asset sales pending his appeal, but he did not.

Giuliani’s lawyers, Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski, said in a statement Tuesday night, “Stay tuned. When the judgement 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.”

To date, Giuliani has not paid Freeman and Moss anything.

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

As for the World Series rings, Giuliani’s son, Andrew, filed court documents earlier this month saying he actually is the rightful owner. He said his father gave him four rings -- one for each of the Yankees’ championships in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 -- as gifts in 2018. Rudy Giuliani received the rings during his tenure as mayor of New York City. The younger Giuliani’s claim is pending in federal court in Manhattan.

Freeman and Moss also asked Liman to order Rudy Giuliani to turn over his condo in Palm Beach, Florida, estimated to be worth more than $3 million. But that property is tied up in other litigation, with Giuliani claiming it should be exempt because it is his primary residence. Freeman and Moss have a lien on the Florida property.

Liman said he would take up the Florida condo at a hearing October 28, and he barred Giuliani from selling the property or taking any action that would diminish its value.

After the $148 million verdict, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy, which froze attempts by Freeman and Moss to collect the award. But a judge in July threw out the case citing repeated “uncooperative conduct,” including a failure to comply with court orders and disclose sources of income.