A federal judge made a significant decision on Friday by dismissing Rudolph W. Giuliani’s bankruptcy case, leaving the former New York City mayor vulnerable to his creditors without legal protection. Judge Sean H. Lane, from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, had indicated earlier in the week that he was inclined towards a dismissal. The judge criticized Mr. Giuliani, who is known for serving as former President Donald J. Trump’s personal lawyer, for disregarding court deadlines and avoiding questions about his financial situation.
Mr. Giuliani himself had requested the court to dismiss his case this week, in order to prevent the appointment of a trustee who would take control of his finances, a move that his creditors were pushing for. In the dismissal order, Judge Lane highlighted Mr. Giuliani’s lack of transparency regarding his financial affairs throughout the six months of the case, stating that it had been a challenging task to gain full insight into his financial status.
Currently, Mr. Giuliani has outstanding debts totaling nearly $153 million owed to 20 individuals and businesses. With the bankruptcy case dismissed, his creditors now have the opportunity to proceed with foreclosures and lawsuits against him that were previously put on hold. The majority of the debt is related to defamation claims by Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two Georgia election workers whom Mr. Giuliani defamed following the 2020 election.
