Rudy Giuliani ordered the handover of a New York apartment to election workers in Georgia

Former New York City mayor and Donald Trump lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani must turn over various assets, including his New York apartment, to two Georgia campaign officials who won a $148 million defamation verdict against him. more than two dozen watches and sports memorabilia and a 1980 Mercedes, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

But U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan also said Giuliani doesn't have to give election officials three New York Yankees World Series rings or his Florida condo for now, noting those assets are tied up in other litigation.

The property that Giuliani will have to give up is expected to bring in millions of dollars for Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss. They won the defamation verdict over Giuliani's false voter fraud allegations against them in connection with the 2020 presidential election. They said Giuliani spread Trump's lies about the election being stolen, which led to death threats that left them fearing for their lives.

Under Tuesday's order, Giuliani must within seven days turn over his Manhattan apartment, valued at more than $5 million, as well as his interest in about $2 million that he says Trump's 2020 presidential campaign owes him for his services.

Also on the list of assets to be turned over to Freeman and Moss is a 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 formerly owned by actress Lauren Bacall; a jersey and picture signed by Yankees legends Joe DiMaggio and Reggie Jackson; a signed Yankee Stadium picture; a diamond ring; costume jewelry; and 26 watches, including a Rolex, five Shinolas, two Bulovas and a Tiffany & Co.

One of these watches was given to Giuliani by his grandfather and he asked to keep it because of its sentimental value. But Liman denied the request on the grounds that Giuliani could have applied for the exemption if he had proven the value was less than $1,000, but he did not. The judge added: “No matter how painful the circumstances, a party cannot claim that every family heirloom should be excluded.”

Liman wrote that Giuliani's transfer of the assets to Freeman and Moss “would ensure that the liquidation of the transferred assets is carried out quickly and consistently by plaintiffs' chosen counsel, thereby maximizing the sale value of the unique and intangible items and thus increasing the likelihood.” . “Satisfaction with the plaintiffs’ verdict.”

Giuliani's lawyers did not immediately respond to email messages Tuesday.

To date, Giuliani has not paid Freeman and Moss anything.

“We are proud that our clients will finally receive some of the compensation they are entitled to for Giuliani’s actions,” Aaron Nathan, an attorney for Freeman and Moss, said in a statement. “This result should send a strong signal that those who consciously choose to spread disinformation will have to pay a price.”

Giuliani had asked the judge to bar Freeman and Moss from selling his assets until his appeal of the $148 million verdict is completed. Liman also rejected that request, saying Giuliani could have asked the federal court in Washington, where Freeman and Moss won their defamation case, to stay the sale of assets pending his appeal, but he did not.

“The court also has no doubt that certain items may have sentimental value to the defendant,” the judge wrote. “But that does not entitle the defendant to continue using the assets to the detriment of the plaintiffs, to whom he owes approximately $150 million.” It is, after all, the underlying policy of these New York laws that “no person should be permitted to simultaneously in Living in luxury and in debt.”

As for the World Series rings, Giuliani's son Andrew filed court documents this month saying he was the rightful owner. He said his father gave him four rings in 2018 – one for each Yankees championship in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. The elder Giuliani received the rings during his term as mayor of New York City. The younger Giuliani's lawsuit is pending in federal court in Manhattan.

Freeman and Moss also asked Liman to order Giuliani to turn over his condominium in Palm Beach, Florida, which is estimated to be worth more than $3 million. However, that property is related to other litigation, and Giuliani claims it should be exempt because it is his primary residence. Freeman and Moss have a lien on the property in Florida.

Liman said he would take over the Florida condo at a hearing scheduled for Oct. 28 and barred Giuliani from selling the property or taking any action that would reduce its value in the meantime.

Following the $148 million judgment against him, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy, freezing Freeman and Moss's attempts to claim the award. But in July, a judge dismissed the case, saying there had been repeated “uncooperative conduct,” including failure to comply with court orders and failure to disclose sources of income.

Collins writes for the Associated Press.