Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, has reached a settlement with two Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation case against him. The agreement ends the legal battle and spares Giuliani from losing key assets, including his homes and prized World Series rings. The settlement resolves all disputes between Giuliani and the election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea "Shaye" Moss. The two women sued Giuliani after false claims he made about them following Donald Trump's 2020 election loss led to harassment and threats. “The past four years have been a nightmare,” the women said in a statement, according to AP. “This agreement is a big step in clearing our names and allowing us to move forward with our lives.” Under the deal, Giuliani promised to stop making defamatory comments about Freeman and Moss. He also avoided a trial set to begin on Thursday, which would have decided the fate of his Florida condominium and the three World Series rings he received during his time as mayor. Giuliani, 80, said in a statement shared that the settlement satisfies the judgment against him but does not admit wrongdoing. “This has been a tough process for all parties,” Giuliani said. “No one deserves to face threats or harassment. I have agreed never to speak about the plaintiffs in a defamatory way again, and I encourage others to do the same.” Freeman and Moss accused Giuliani of spreading lies that falsely portrayed them as corrupt during the 2020 election. These claims led to threats and disrupted their lives. Giuliani’s lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, told that the settlement followed intense negotiations over three days. “We worked late into the night to reach this agreement,” he said. Before the settlement, Giuliani began liquidating assets, including his Manhattan apartment worth $5 million, luxury watches, and a classic car previously owned by actress Lauren Bacall. His total assets were estimated at $10 million. Giuliani had filed for bankruptcy to pause collection efforts. At a recent hearing, he acknowledged his financial troubles, saying, “Everything I have is tied up,” AP reported. The settlement also allows Giuliani to retain his Florida home and the World Series rings, which he said were gifts from the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Giuliani told AP that he bought the rings and intended them for his son, Andrew. “These were always meant for Andrew,” he testified. Freeman and Moss described the settlement as a chance to move on from a difficult chapter. “Thanks to this agreement, we can rebuild our lives,” they said, according to AP.
