Rudy Giuliani bankruptcy filing after $148m judgment in 2020 election defamation case

Rudy Giuliani filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $148 million, but may not be able to discharge debts.

Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $148 million to two former Georgia election workers for falsely accusing them of fraud. This comes as he faces a mountain of debt from his work as a lawyer for former President Donald Trump and criminal charges in Georgia.

In his bankruptcy filing, Giuliani revealed that he has between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities and $1 million to $10 million in assets. His spokesperson stated that the bankruptcy filing will give him time to appeal the $148 million penalty and ensure that other creditors are treated fairly.

While bankruptcy proceedings can help individuals and companies reorganize their debts, it may not allow Giuliani to avoid paying the money he owes to the election workers. Judges have ruled that defamation penalties cannot be discharged if the debtor has engaged in "willful and malicious" conduct.

The two former election workers, Wandrea "Shaye" Moss and Ruby Freeman, faced threats after Giuliani falsely accused them of voting fraud. Despite admitting in court that his claims were defamatory, Giuliani has continued to repeat them, leading the two workers to file a second lawsuit.

In addition to the bankruptcy filing, Giuliani faces criminal charges of election subversion in Georgia, along with Donald Trump and more than a dozen other co-defendants. His law license has been suspended in New York, and he faces disbarment in Washington.

Giuliani listed Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and a former employee, Noelle Dunphy, as creditors on the bankruptcy filing. Hunter Biden has sued Giuliani for violating his privacy, while Dunphy has sued him for sexual assault, harassment, and wage theft. Giuliani has denied these allegations.

Other creditors include Smartmatic and an employee of Dominion Voting Systems, both of which have sued Giuliani for claiming that their voting machines flipped votes from Trump to Biden in the 2020 election.

Giuliani also revealed that he owed nearly $1 million to the US and New York state governments and nearly $2 million in legal fees. Two law firms that formerly represented him have also sued for unpaid bills.

This bankruptcy filing comes as a significant development in Giuliani's legal battles and financial troubles, as he continues to face mounting challenges in the aftermath of his work as Trump's personal lawyer.

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