Giuliani ordered to surrender valuable personal assets to satisfy defamation judgment
Few people have experienced harsher consequences from their association with former President Donald Trump than former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and thanks to a recent court judgment, the fallout from their alignment is poised to get even worse.
Just last week, a federal judge ordered Giuliani -- who is still an ally of Trump's -- to surrender the majority of his valuable assets, including the Manhattan home he will be forced to leave, and give them two a pair of Georgia election workers he was found to have defamed in the aftermath of the 2020 election, as the Inquisitr reports.
Judge orders asset surrender
Judge Lewis Liman issued the sweeping order requiring Giuliani to turn over possessions ranging from sports memorabilia to real estate for the benefit of Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman, two election workers who successfully sued the former mayor for statements he made about them several years ago.
The scope of the asset surrender is so significant due to the massive $148 million judgment obtained against Giuliani by Moss and Freeman, and some of the items included on the list are indeed eye-catching in nature.
Some of the more impressive items poised for liquidation include a Madison Avenue penthouse valued in the millions, 26 high-end timepieces, and a 1980 Mercedes-Benz vehicle once owned by film star Lauren Bacall.
Perhaps of particular sentimental value to Giuliani is a New York Yankees jersey signed by Joe DiMaggio, something which will also be put into receivership for ultimate sale, likely through an auction house such as Sotheby's.
Plaintiffs prevail on defamation, harassment claims
The forced sale of Giuliani's property comes in the wake of a court verdict in favor of Moss and Freeman, both of whom claimed that statements made by the former mayor regarding their alleged role in election fraud were not only false, but also resulted in harassment and threats.
The nearly $150 million damage award they received was intended to compensate for reputational damage and emotional distress, and it also contained a punitive component, according to the Inquisitr.
In the aftermath of the court battle, Michael Gottlieb, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, opined that the outcome should serve as a cautionary tale to other public figures regarding the potential penalty for trading in what he called misinformation.
Battle over possessions continues
While the judge in this case has ordered the surrender of a number of major items in Giuliani's possession, final decisions on items such as a watch given to the former mayor by his grandfather and multiple World Series rings that his son, Andrew, claims were a gift to him have yet to be made.
Giuliani spokesperson Ted Goodman lamented on Wednesday that the man once known as “America's Mayor” would be “unfairly punished by partisan, political activists” determined to force him to lose deeply personal items while his appeal makes its way through the courts.
Despite the stress and strains under which he is currently laboring, however, Giuliani remains committed to the conservative cause, appearing on Sunday at Madison Square Garden and speaking in glowing support of Trump and his bid to reclaim the White House.