Judge Says Rudy Giuliani May Be Held In Contempt Of Court For Failing To Turn Over Assets In $148 Million Defamation Lawsuit

Rudy Giuliani faces increasing legal pressure as a federal judge in Manhattan hinted at potential consequences ahead of a contempt hearing scheduled for next Friday.

The hearing stems from Giuliani’s failure to comply with court orders related to a $148 million defamation judgment awarded to two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, whom Giuliani falsely accused of ballot tampering during the 2020 presidential election.

U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman indicated he might rule on the contempt request during the hearing and could grant adverse inferences against Giuliani. Such a ruling might jeopardize Giuliani’s Palm Beach, Florida, condominium, which he has claimed as his personal residence and sought to shield from the judgment.

The election workers’ lawyers have accused Giuliani of withholding key assets, including the lease to his Manhattan apartment, a Mercedes, various watches, jewelry, a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt and other baseball memorabilia. The court had previously ordered Giuliani to turn over these items in October, but he has yet to fully comply.

Judge Liman was critical of what he described as Giuliani’s and his lawyer’s attempts to avoid providing the required information. The judge emphasized that Giuliani must explain his non-compliance at the hearing or face potential sanctions.

Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor and onetime personal lawyer to President-elect Donald Trump, was found liable last year for defaming Freeman and Moss. His false claims of election fraud, including accusations that the women tampered with ballots, led to death threats against them. The defamation judgment marked a significant legal blow for Giuliani, who has struggled with mounting legal and financial challenges in recent years.

The contempt hearing follows a heated November session where Giuliani accused Judge Liman of treating him unfairly. Giuliani’s legal team has maintained that the Palm Beach property should be exempt from the judgment and has predicted that Giuliani will ultimately reclaim some of his prized possessions through appeals.

In addition to the contempt hearing, Giuliani faces a trial on Jan. 16 concerning the disposition of his Florida residence and other assets, including his World Series rings.

In September, Giuliani was disbarred for lying in court about the 2000 election.

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