Rudy Giuliani guilty of contempt of court

Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s former lawyer and deposed ex-mayor of New York, is back in the headlines after being found in contempt of court in a defamation suit.

Rudy Giuliani was held in contempt of court for failing to cooperate in the handover of $11 million of his personal assets to Georgia poll workers he falsely accused of helping to steal the 2020 presidential election. nyti.ms/40mT4CB

— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) 2025-01-07T02:01:47.597Z

He had been convicted of repeatedly defaming two election workers after the 2020 elections.

The two Georgia election workers, a mother and daughter, repeatedly falsely accused by Rudy Giuliani of contributing to the alleged theft of the 2020 presidential election, have won a $148 million judgment in their defamation suit against Donald Trump’s former lawyer.

A battle ensued in an attempt to seize Rudy Giuliani’s assets in order to execute the verdict against him. For months, he evaded attempts to locate him, making collection difficult. He was finally spotted thanks to a live video he had broadcast for his birthday.

This marked the beginning of a new phase in the case, with several weeks of intensive efforts to seize his assets, including his residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, rare Yankee collectibles and a collection of 26 luxury watches.

But now, a federal judge found Rudy Giuliani in contempt of court on Monday for his refusal to cooperate in the transfer of $11 million of his personal property, including those mentioned above.

The consequences of Rudy Giuliani’s contempt of court remain uncertain and could include fines or even jail time. According to the New York Times, his Florida condo, valued at $3.5 million, could also be at risk. Giuliani, however, seems to be doing everything in his power to protect this property from the verdict.

In November, one of Rudy Giuliani’s lawyers, also a long-time friend, withdrew from the case for initially unknown reasons.

A recently posted letter reveals that Giuliani was refusing to cooperate in the disclosure process regarding his Florida condo and was blocking access to his electronic devices. These refusals to cooperate add to his multiple attempts at delay and avoidance that have been going on for months.

Giuliani will have to appear in court on January 16, a date he had tried to postpone in order to attend events related to Trump’s inauguration as president. There, he will seek to demonstrate that his Palm Beach condo, being his primary residence, should be exempt from foreclosure, a potentially valid argument under Florida law.

Rudy Giuliani could also face separate contempt of court charges on January 10, as he is accused of violating an order prohibiting him from repeating false claims against the women who won the defamation suit against him.