Rudy Giuliani Reaches Settlement with Georgia Women After $148 Million Defamation Verdict
Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss have been engaged in a lengthy legal battle, aiming to compel Giuliani to release his assets to assist in fulfilling the substantial judgment against him.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — Rudy Giuliani reached a settlement on Thursday with two Georgia women who had secured a $148 million defamation verdict against him, allowing him to retain all of his property in return for an undisclosed payment and a commitment to refrain from further defamation.
This agreement spares Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, from potentially losing both of his homes along with numerous valuable assets. The women, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, had been engaged in a lengthy legal battle aimed at compelling Giuliani to surrender his possessions to satisfy the substantial judgment.
Freeman and Moss, a mother-daughter duo who previously worked as election officials in Georgia, won their defamation case in 2023 after a jury found that Giuliani had falsely accused them of election fraud following the 2020 election. In a statement, they expressed their decision to allow Giuliani to retain his property "in exchange for compensation."
“The past four years have been a living nightmare,” they stated. “We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives.”
According to court documents, both teams of lawyers indicated that the settlement "would result in the conclusion of all litigation currently pending between and among the Parties."
The specifics regarding the payment were not revealed. Outside a Manhattan federal court on Thursday, Giuliani's lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, opted not to disclose whether a third party was financing the payment and avoided discussing the "material terms" of the settlement.
Cammarata confirmed that the agreement enables Giuliani to keep his Upper East Side apartment and his condo in Palm Beach, Florida, along with “all his personal belongings.” Among these belongings are items a judge had previously mandated Giuliani to surrender to the women, such as watches, a ring, sports memorabilia, and a vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible.
In a social media statement, Giuliani remarked, “I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached.” He also added, “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.”
The announcement of the settlement occurred just five hours before Giuliani was due to begin a trial concerning whether he could protect his Florida condo from creditors and whether he had transferred World Series rings to his son, a move that could have exempted them from being seized.
Giuliani appeared to be at risk of losing the Palm Beach property in the trial, especially after U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman found him in civil contempt of court twice, resulting in a ruling that prevented Giuliani from presenting a key legal defense that could have aided him in keeping the condo.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
This agreement spares Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, from potentially losing both of his homes along with numerous valuable assets. The women, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, had been engaged in a lengthy legal battle aimed at compelling Giuliani to surrender his possessions to satisfy the substantial judgment.
Freeman and Moss, a mother-daughter duo who previously worked as election officials in Georgia, won their defamation case in 2023 after a jury found that Giuliani had falsely accused them of election fraud following the 2020 election. In a statement, they expressed their decision to allow Giuliani to retain his property "in exchange for compensation."
“The past four years have been a living nightmare,” they stated. “We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives.”
According to court documents, both teams of lawyers indicated that the settlement "would result in the conclusion of all litigation currently pending between and among the Parties."
The specifics regarding the payment were not revealed. Outside a Manhattan federal court on Thursday, Giuliani's lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, opted not to disclose whether a third party was financing the payment and avoided discussing the "material terms" of the settlement.
Cammarata confirmed that the agreement enables Giuliani to keep his Upper East Side apartment and his condo in Palm Beach, Florida, along with “all his personal belongings.” Among these belongings are items a judge had previously mandated Giuliani to surrender to the women, such as watches, a ring, sports memorabilia, and a vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible.
In a social media statement, Giuliani remarked, “I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached.” He also added, “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.”
The announcement of the settlement occurred just five hours before Giuliani was due to begin a trial concerning whether he could protect his Florida condo from creditors and whether he had transferred World Series rings to his son, a move that could have exempted them from being seized.
Giuliani appeared to be at risk of losing the Palm Beach property in the trial, especially after U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman found him in civil contempt of court twice, resulting in a ruling that prevented Giuliani from presenting a key legal defense that could have aided him in keeping the condo.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
