Rudy Giuliani can keep Florida condo, ‘personal belongings’ after settling turnover case with election workers

MANHATTAN (CN) — Rudy Giuliani on Thursday settled his turnover case with a pair of 2020 Georgia election workers he was found liable for defaming, according to attorneys from both parties.

The former New York City mayor was a no-show at what was supposed to be a Thursday bench trial to determine which assets he would have to fork over to Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea Moss, the election workers about whom Giuliani spread baseless rumors that they’d help to steal the 2020 presidential election from then-candidate Donald Trump.

Trial was supposed to start at 9 a.m. sharp, but Giuliani failed to appear for his testimony and lawyers for both sides filed in and out of U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman’s chambers all morning, fueling speculation that an eleventh-hour settlement was afoot.

Giuliani confirmed that speculation Thursday afternoon when he issued the following statement:

“I have reached a resolution of the litigation with the plaintiffs that will result in a satisfaction of the plaintiff’s judgment. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the parties,” Giuliani said. “I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York co-op and Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same.”

Freeman and Moss initially sued Giuliani in 2021 for defamation. They testified at a federal trial in Washington, D.C, that their lives were upended by racist and violent threats prompted by Giuliani’s slanderous lies and won a handsome $148 million judgment. But last year, they filed the turnover case in New York after claiming that Giuliani had been slow-rolling paying out what they’re owed.

Giuliani was seeking to prove at the New York bench trial that he would not have to surrender his Florida condo to Freeman and Moss, since it is his primary residence. After Thursday’s settlement, it appears he’ll be able to keep it.

In a statement, Freeman and Moss called the ordeal with Giuliani a “living nightmare.”

“We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong,” they said. “Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us."

Little is known about the specifics of the settlement. A joint letter from the parties filed Thursday indicates that the agreement, “once certain conditions are met, would fully resolve all issues currently scheduled for trial.”

Those issues, in addition to the Florida condo, include whether Rudy Giuliani would have to give up a collection of four World Series rings he claimed he gave to his son, Andrew Giuliani — who told reporters on Thursday that he believes they’ll now remain in his possession.

Rudy Giuliani’s attorney Joseph Cammarato confirmed that Freeman and Moss will still be compensated. But he declined to elaborate where the money would come from, stating that the details of the settlement are confidential.

Earlier this week, Rudy Giuliani received an influx of donations for his legal fees related to this case after President-elect Trump posted “SAVE RUDY!!!” to social media on Jan. 12. The online fundraiser has nearly $170,000 in donor cash, as of Thursday afternoon.

At a pretrial hearing last week, Judge Liman, a Trump appointee, found Giuliani in contempt of court for showing a “blithe disregard” for the court’s orders on discovery. Blasting Giuliani from the bench, Liman ruled that Giuliani had been withholding pertinent discovery information in an attempt to “run the clock” on the trial.

The judge in the initial defamation action also held Giuliani in contempt last week, finding that Giuliani continued to defame the two women on episodes of his nightly live streams.

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