This article was originally posted on 08/07/22 titled: A Major Bombshell About Rudy Giuliani’s Divorce Was Just Filed In Court—And Now He Could Face ‘Immediate Arrest’
Rudy Giuliani‘s ex-wife just filed a lawsuit last week. In it, Judith Giuliani claims that the former mayor of New York City has still not paid her the $260,000 that he owes her from their divorce. The Republican politician, 78, is being sued, People Magazine reports, for failure to pay out the agreed terms of their divorce settlement.
The former couple were engaged in a “high-conflict divorce” over division of assets, Judith’s lawyer, Dror Bikel, reportedly told the publication. “Judith is doing great,” Bikel said, “She’s been in a relationship for three years.” The attorney added that the lawsuit “is not out of any sort of bad feeling other than he just needs to meet his obligations and what he agreed to do.” Bikel also noted that Judith, 67, “has tried to resolve it” with her ex-husband outside of the courts prior to this motion.
Rudy Giuliani’s latest legal trouble? $262,000 in unpaid divorce settlement funds, his ex-wife alleges.https://t.co/2o2wpYiFdn
— VICE News (@VICENews) August 4, 2022
In the motion obtained by People, it claims that Donald Trump‘s former lawyer (who has faced several lawsuits) exercised a “willful and deliberate” refusal to pay his ex-wife for their previously agreed upon terms. This, the mag reported, includes payment for their club dues and Palm Beach, Florida, home. Judith, who is a registered nurse, charity fundraiser, former medical sales executive, and ultimately, Rudy’s third ex-wife, has requested a total sum of $262,000 from him. The majority of this payment, $140,000, is for their Palm Beach property, and “owed,” Bikel indicated. Failure to comply with this, People and Bikel note, means Giuliani could face “immediate arrest.”
The plaintiff writes that the former couple’s annual club membership dues and expenses were supposed to be split equally in accordance with the divorce settlement. “I had no choice but to pay his share of the dues during this time in order to remain in good standing with the clubs,” Judith writes in the motion. She is requesting “$77,000, plus an additional amount to be determined for his individual charges.”
Giuliani’s ex-wife Judith sues him: Pay me $260K or go to prison. Judith Giuliani claims that the former disgraced mayor and attorney to Trump is in contempt of court for owing $262,000 he should have paid her under the terms of their divorce settlement. https://t.co/Rw9W5RqbgT
— Charm 2008 (@CharmRobinson3) August 3, 2022
Rudy is also required to pay Judith “$5,000 a month for a housekeeper or an assistant for a period of five years,” as stated in the divorce agreement. Judith apparently has received “inconsistent and sporadic payments” and even had a “$10,000 check in June 2021 that was returned due to insufficient funds.”
Bikel pointed out in the interview that clearing these payments will “leave resources available” including to “support her mom” and her nursing home fees. Rudy has reportedly shared an amicable relationship with his former mother-in-law, the attorney said, who “has always adored him.”
“Rudy Giuliani’s ex-wife has said he could face jail time if he doesn’t pay her more than a quarter of a million dollars due under their divorce settlement.” https://t.co/Nz9XFmoVdN
— Erik Halvorsen (@erikhalvorsen18) August 3, 2022
Judith’s lawyers warned that if Rudy fails to appear in court, that this “may result in your immediate arrest and imprisonment for contempt of court.” If Rudy doesn’t pay the requested amount, Judith’s legal team will “seek all the remedies available under the law, which includes incarceration.”
Bikel also added that this is not the outcome Judith is hoping for. Bikel continued, “He is a guy who was responsible, for many years, when he was the head of the Southern District of New York for enforcing rules, but now he is breaking them.”
This article was updated on 10/02/22 with the information below:
Rudy Giuliani skipped out on a court hearing in Manhattan Friday where a judge ordered the 78-year-old to pay his ex-wife over $225,000 as part of a divorce settlement, or he could wind up in jail.https://t.co/uiNunFzqUe
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) September 23, 2022
Things are going from bad to worse for Rudy Giuliani, as he failed to show up to a hearing held before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz on Friday, September 23rd, and was ultimately declared to be in contempt of court.
The former mayor was supposed to appear before the court to explain why he believed he owed his ex-wife far less than what she claimed. However, due to failing to appear, and therefore not turning over evidence that was supposed to prove why he only owed his wife just $50,000, Katz granted Judith Giuliani’s request for a default judgment of $225,442, plus an extra $10,000 for attorney fees.
Rudy Giuliani has been ordered to pay up —or risk going to jail. https://t.co/meFNztIdWK
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) September 24, 2022
“If the amount is not paid by that date, I’m going to be forced—unfortunately because it’s not something I want to do—I’m going to be forced to remand the defendant into custody,” Katz reportedly said at Friday’s hearing, according to The New York Post. “There is no dispute that the judgment has not been complied with because the defendant admitted last time that he owes money,” Katz added, referencing the $50,000 Giuliani claimed he owed. “He clearly has failed to meet his obligations,” he added.
As per The New York Post, Judith Giuliani’s lawyer, Dror Bikel, talked to reporters outside the courthouse about the former mayor’s failure to show up in court. “For him [Rudy Giuliani] to not meet his legal obligations to Ms. Giuliani after all they’ve been through is simply outrageous,” Bikel said. “For him to snub his nose at the court, and not bother showing up and appearing in court – God forbid that somebody would do that to him, a defendant would do that to him when he was U.S. attorney.” He finished off by saying: “We’d like to express our gratitude to Judge Katz, for doing the right thing.”
