REUTERS
A judge tossed out Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy case Friday, ruling that the former New York City mayor has repeatedly been evasive about his assets.
White Plains federal bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane sided with lawyers for two former Georgia election workers who are owed $148 million verdict from Giuliani that his Chapter 11 case should be dismissed.
“The lack of financial transparency is particularly troubling given concerns that Mr. Giuliani has engaged in self-dealing and that he has potential conflicts of interest that would hamper the administration of his bankruptcy case,” Lane said in a 22-page decision.
A group of creditors, including Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shay Moss whom Giuliani owes the massive judgment to for falsely accusing them of committing election fraud in 2020, have claimed he’s been hiding assets, submitting error-laden reports and spending frivolously.
They had argued for a trustee to be installed to oversee the finances of Giuliani — once fondly known as “America’s Mayor” for his response to the 9/11 terror attacks while he was in office.
But at a hearing on Wednesday, Moss and Freeman’s lawyers argued since Giuliani hasn’t been following bankruptcy rules the case should be tossed so they can try to reclaim what they are owed through other measures, such as getting a court order to seize his assets.
Giuliani lawyer Gary Fischoff even agreed that ending the case may be the best option — because it would allow his client to start an appeal of the $148 million judgment.
Moss and Freeman’s lawyer Rachel Strickland argued that Giuliani had been using bankruptcy to allow him to carry on as normal.
“He regards this court as a pause button on his woes while he continues to live his life unbothered by creditors,” Strickland said at the time.
Meanwhile, a group of Giuliani’s other creditors said Wednesday they wanted to keep the bankruptcy case alive and have a trustee appointed to ensure Giuliani complies.
Lane warned Giuliani that he wouldn’t be able to seek bankruptcy again for a year if the case was dismissed.
Giuliani, 80, filed for bankruptcy in December mere weeks after Freeman and Moss won the huge verdict.
The embattled long-time attorney lost his law license in New York earlier this month for repeatedly making false claims about the 2020 election when he was working as President Donald Trump’s lawyer.
Giuliani was actually canned from his job as a radio show host on WABC in May for continuing to spout those lies, which station owner John Catsimatidis said broke company policy.
Giuliani also faces two criminal cases in Arizona and in Georgia — the latter of which he’s charged alongside Trump — for allegedly trying to interfere in 2020 election in both states on Trump’s behalf.
He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges.
With Post wires