Rudy Giuliani Says He Has Been 'Destroyed'

Rudy Giuliani has bemoaned the sum a jury ordered him to pay to a mother and daughter he defamed, saying the figure has "destroyed" him.

The former Donald Trump lawyer defamed Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss after repeatedly making false claims about them. On news channel Newsmax, Giuliani said he was a wealthy man, but paying the full ordered sum of $148 million would ruin him financially.

"If you take away that judgment, I'm actually a pretty fortunate guy," he said on Rob Schmitt Tonight. "I got a decent amount of money. I'm not bankrupt but with $148 million, I'm destroyed."

The full payments ordered are $20 million each for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, damages of between $16 and $17 million each and a further $75 million in punitive damages.

Giuliani has now filed for bankruptcy and told Newsmax he has "got to protect myself" and "normal creditors, who have normal amounts that are owed because they'd all be wiped out."

In the filing, he listed his assets being between $1 million and $10 million and his liabilities as between $100 million and $500 million. A further $989,918 in taxes is owed to the government.

"No person could have reasonably believed that Mayor Giuliani would be able to pay such a high punitive amount," Heath Berger, one of Giuliani's attorneys, told Newsweek previously. "Chapter 11 will afford Mayor Giuliani the opportunity and time to pursue an appeal, while providing transparency for his finances under the supervision of the bankruptcy court, to ensure all creditors are treated equally and fairly throughout the process.

There is usually a 30-day period between the order being handed down and the first payments being made, but U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled this process should begin immediately instead.

She wrote that there was "good cause to believe that he will seek to dissipate or conceal his assets during the 30-day period."

Newsweek has approached one of Giuliani's attorneys for comment.

Among the listed creditors is President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, but exactly why is unclear and he is simply listed under "lawsuit."

After the order was made, Giuliani told reporters he did not "regret a damn thing." The former New York mayor did say what Freeman and Moss went through was "deplorable" after they were subjected to abuse following his claims.

Freeman said she would "always have to be careful" because of the false claims she and Moss meddled with votes during the 2020 presidential election.

Giuliani insisted he had "nothing to do with" the threats against them.