Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani sought bankruptcy protection after a judge in December ordered him to pay $148 million in defamation charges to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss for accusing them of trying to steal the 2020 election from Donald Trump. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE
July 12 (UPI) — A federal judge on Friday dismissed Rudy Giuliani‘s bankruptcy case, giving his creditors the opportunity to begin pursuing his assets.
White Plains federal bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane said the former New York mayor and lawyer for Donald Trump ignored court filing deadlines and repeatedly had evaded reporting his assets since filing for bankruptcy six months ago.
“Mr. Giuliani has failed to provide an accurate and complete picture of his financial affairs in the six months that this case has been pending,” Lane wrote in his 22-page opinion, which also banned Giuliani from filing again for bankruptcy for a year.
“Transparency into Mr. Giuliani’s finances has proven to be an elusive goal,” Lane said.
Giuliani, who currently owes 20 people and businesses a combined $153 million, sought bankruptcy protection after a judge in December ordered him to pay $148 million to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss for falsely accusing them of trying to steal the 2020 election from Trump.
Lane, in the dismissal order, noted Giuliani provided zero insight into the companies he solely owns, hid an upcoming book deal and in recent weeks had withdrawn thousands of dollars in wire transfers.
Giuliani also had a deal with a coffee brand, which only came to light through media reports, Lane added.
Several of his creditors, including Freeman and Moss, have accused him of hiding his assets and extravagant spending.
Lawyers for Freeman and Moss in a hearing Wednesday asked for the bankruptcy case to be dismissed so they can try to claim what they’re owed through other measures, such as asset forfeiture.
The two plan to seek liens on Giuliani’s $6 million New York City apartment and his $3.5 million condo in Palm Beach, Fla., in the coming days, their lawyers said.
One of their lawyers, Rachel Strickland, argued Giuliani had been using the bankruptcy court “as a pause button” to continue his lavish lifestyle “unbothered by creditors,” she said.
Those creditors now have the opportunity to pursue other assets such as Giuliani’s bank accounts and high-end possessions such as a Mercedez-Benz sports car, 26 luxury watches and three New York Yankees championship rings.
Giuliani’s lawyer, Gary Fischoff, agreed ending bankruptcy proceedings would be favorable, as it frees Giuliani to appeal the $148 million judgment.
Friday’s ruling is the latest in a series of blows for Giuliani, once lauded after 9/11 as “America’s Mayor.”
The New York Appellate Division earlier this month revoked his law license for peddling “demonstrably false and misleading statements” in court that the election was stolen from Trump.
Giuliani claimed he believed the false statements when he made them, but the court ruled “there is nothing on the record” to suggest that was true.
He also faces two criminal cases in Arizona and in Georgia, where he is charged in the scheme to overturn the 2020 election in favor of Trump.
In addition to the major payment he owes Moss and Freeman, Giuliani also owes more than $1 million in taxes, over $1 million in legal fees and tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid phone bills.