Ex-Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $148m for defaming two Georgia election workers

Former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani has filed for bankruptcy.

The former personal attorney to former President Donald Trump submitted the Chapter 11 filing on Thursday after being ordered to immediately pay a massive fine for defaming two election workers in Georgia.

According to the filing, Giuliani is unable to pay millions in legal fees and unpaid taxes.

Giuliani was ordered to pay $148,169,000 to two women he falsely accused of committing election fraud in the 2020 election. Giuliani said Friday he would appeal the ruling.

“The absurdity of the number merely underscores the absurdity of the entire proceeding, where I’ve not been allowed to offer one single piece of evidence in defense, of which I have a lot,” he said. 

“So I am quite confident when this case gets before a fair tribunal, it will be reversed so quickly, it’ll make your head spin and the absurd number that just came in will help that, actually.”

In a statement, the spokesman for Mr. Giuliani, Ted Goodman, also said “no person could have reasonably believed that [Mr. Giuliani] would be able to pay such a high punitive amount”.

He added that Thursday’s bankruptcy filing in New York would give Mr Giuliani the “opportunity and time to pursue an appeal, while providing transparency for his finances under the supervision of the bankruptcy court”.

Mr Giuliani, 79, said earlier this year that he was having financial difficulties because of his increasing legal fees and expenses.

The former New York City mayor – as well as Trump ally and former personal lawyer – was on trial for the defamation of two Georgia election workers at a federal court in Washington, D.C., last week.

Giuliani had accused Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, of fraud while advancing former President Trump’s unproven claims that the 2020 election was stolen. 

Last week, an eight-person jury ordered him to pay $20m to Georgia poll workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.

The pair said Mr. Giuliani’s false claim that they tampered with votes had a traumatising impact on their lives. Ms. Freeman said she would “always have to be careful” because of lingering fears she might be recognised publicly.

Ms Freeman and Ms Moss were also awarded more than $16m each for emotional distress. Another payment of $75m in punitive damages was ordered to be split between them.