Former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea' "Shaye" Moss, who formerly secured a $148 million judgment against Rudy Giuliani, are taking legal action over his alleged maneuvers to evade this judgment using Florida’s homestead laws.
According to Reuters, the plaintiffs accuse Giuliani of fraudulently listing a condo as his primary residence to protect it from creditors.
In the ongoing saga stemming from disputed claims during the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea' "Shaye" Moss encountered severe public scrutiny led by Rudy Giuliani's allegations. In response, they pursued legal recompense, culminating in a substantial financial judgment in their favor.
After losing in court, Rudy Giuliani, aged 80, declared bankruptcy. However, a judge discarded this claim due to incomplete financial disclosures and missed deadlines. Amid these developments, Giuliani reclassified his property in Palm Beach as his primary domicile.
Freeman and Moss assert this was an intentional move to utilize Florida's generous homestead exemption, aiming to block the enforcement of their financial claim against him.
Their lawyers launched a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, demanding the enforcement of their lien on the Florida condominium, potentially leading to its seizure and sale. This legal stride is aimed at intersecting the perceived protective measures Giuliani has taken.
Giuliani possesses another residence in Manhattan, which intensifies the scrutiny over his declaration of the Florida condo as his primary home. This factor contributes to the election workers' claims of his purported asset protection strategy.
Following their court victory in December, immediately countered by Giuliani's bankruptcy declaration, the claims by Freeman and Moss against the former New York City mayor have escalated into a financial and legal tug-of-war, surfacing significant questions about asset protection and creditor evasion tactics under state laws.
The expressed intent by Giuliani to appeal the monumental judgment adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal proceedings. His spokesman, Ted Goodman, has actively criticized the motivations behind the lawsuit.
Goodman voiced concern, stating, "The appeal of the objectively unreasonable $148 million verdict hasn't even been heard, yet opposing counsel continues to take steps designed to harass and intimidate the mayor."
He further claimed, "This lawsuit has always been designed to censor and bully the mayor, and to deter others from exercising their right to speak up and to speak out."
Case number 24-06563 reflects a growing legal battle that not only encompasses the hefty financial judgment but also the strategic financial maneuvers that may follow such a legal outcome. As the situation unfolds in Manhattan federal court, the implications extend beyond the immediate financial interests of the involved parties, touching on broader issues of legal strategy and the use of state laws as shields against creditors.
This ongoing conflict signals not just a personal legal battle for Giuliani but illustrates the wider implications of high-stakes legal decisions and the maneuvers individuals may take in their wake.
In summation, the lawsuit by Ruby Freeman and Wandrea' "Shaye" Moss against Rudy Giuliani spotlights the intersection of legal retribution, financial disclosure, and strategic asset protection. It underscores a dramatic chapter in the fallout from the contentious 2020 U.S. Presidential election, continuing to unravel in both the court of law and public discourse.