How Rudy Giuliani's Legal Woes Have Changed His Lavish Life

As mayor of New York City during 9/11, Rudy Giuliani became known as "America's Mayor," and after his term was over, he started to make millions upon millions as a public speaker and in the private sector. He later started working for Donald Trump, and he was one of Trump's most vociferous supporters, even after Trump got rid Giuliani as one of his personal lawyers. However, Giuliani's continued false claims while promoting the lie that Trump actually won the 2020 election has now basically left Giuliani bankrupt and potentially homeless with many of his assets, including his three bedroom, three bathroom apartment in New York City, to go to two of the women he defamed.

Giuliani was sued for defamation by Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, two Georgia election workers. The two women were in a video that Giuliani shared and claimed was proof of election fraud during the 2020 election; Trump narrowly lost the state. It would turn out to just be a conspiracy theory; the two women were found to have been only doing their jobs despite what any of the edited footage seemingly portrayed.

Because of the claims made by Giuliani, the two women said they were harassed and threatened, and they fought back against Giuliani and won. He was found liable for defamation, and he was ordered to pay them more than $140 million. Shortly after the judgement, he filed for bankruptcy, but a judge determined that he still has to pay up.

Rudy Giuliani's lawyers had claimed during the trial that he wouldn't be able to pay a large penalty; however, a judge didn't agree with them. In a ruling on October 22, 2024, another judge confirmed that within a week, Rudy Giuliani would have to "transfer all his personal property [...] cash accounts, jewelry and valuables, a legal claim for unpaid attorneys' fees, and his interest in his Madison Avenue co-op apartment to a receivership." The personal property listed in the ruling include: over two dozen watches, a shirt signed by baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, and a vintage Mercedes-Benz that reportedly was once owned by Lauren Bacall.

It's possible that he may also lose his condo in Palm Beach, Florida, but as of the time of writing, that had yet to be determined by a judge. And if/when Donald Trump's campaign pays Giuliani the $2 million that he says they still owe him for legal fees, that will also go to the two women. 

That's just he tip of the iceberg of Giuliani's legal trouble. He's one of the defendants (along with his former client Trump) in a racketeering case in Georgia that centers around alleged illegal behavior during the 2020 election; that's the case which gave us Giuliani's tragic mugshot, and the first ever mugshot of a former president. Giuliani was also sued for sexual harassment; he owes $10 million to a former employee in that case.