NEW YORK – Rudy Giuliani finds himself facing significant legal challenges as he heads into a critical trial this week. The proceedings will determine whether he must relinquish his Florida condominium and three World Series rings to two Georgia election workers who were awarded $148 million in a defamation case against him.
Recently, a Washington judge found Giuliani in contempt for reiterating false claims regarding the workers’ conduct during the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, a New York judge has ruled against him for failing to produce required evidence concerning his assets.
On Thursday, Giuliani, 80, will stand trial in New York to argue for the retention of his Palm Beach, Florida, condominium, which he claims as his primary residence, and to contest the necessity of surrendering three World Series rings he asserts were given to his son in 2018.
Judge Lewis J. Liman will preside over the trial in Manhattan federal court. This is the same judge who previously issued a contempt ruling against Giuliani.
With the contempt ruling in place, Liman has restricted Giuliani’s ability to present evidence that could support his claims regarding his residency in Florida. He cannot reference any texts or emails in this context, as Giuliani failed to provide these during the pretrial evidence exchange.
The judge has also indicated he can draw negative inferences regarding the gaps in Giuliani’s evidence due to his failure to provide the necessary materials. This ruling complicates Giuliani’s argument concerning his professional services and connections within Florida post-January 2024.
Giuliani has admitted that he did not fully comply with evidence requests, arguing they were overly broad or potentially misleading.
At a prior hearing, Giuliani stated that while he is “not impoverished,” many of his assets are entangled in ongoing legal disputes across multiple states.
Recently, Liman requested details regarding the World Series rings Giuliani acquired from the New York Yankees, questioning whether they should be temporarily held by the court until ownership is determined.
The rings are reportedly secured in the bedroom closet of Giuliani’s New York City apartment. The judge raised concerns about the rings after Giuliani acknowledged last week that he does not know the whereabouts of a valuable signed baseball jersey from Joe DiMaggio.
Following Giuliani’s testimony, lawyers representing the election workers countered claims regarding the rings, referencing Giuliani’s bankruptcy filing in 2023, which identified the rings as part of his assets.
The ongoing dispute centers on his Florida condominium and the World Series rings, which are among Giuliani’s key assets, estimated to be worth over $10 million collectively. The Palm Beach property alone is valued at over $3 million.
Giuliani has already forfeited other notable assets, including a $5 million New York City apartment and various luxury items.
The case against Giuliani stems from defamation claims made by Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, who assert that his false allegations related to the 2020 presidential election led to threats against their lives.
