A Manhattan Judge isn’t playing around with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. The judge threatened him with jail time if he doesn’t make payments toward the $225,000 he owes his ex-wife, Judith Giuliani.
During a hearing on Friday for the ongoing legal dispute between the former couple-which Rudy didn’t attend — Manhattan Judge Michael Katz warned the ex-politician that he could go to jail if he failed to pay $225,000 plus the legal fees he owes her, RadarOnline reported.
“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,” Judge Katz said in the courtroom.
Not only did the former mayor not show up to court, but he also failed to file evidence to dispute his ex’s claims against him, in which Judge Katz slammed him for failing to meet his requirements in the 2019 divorce settlement, leaving the court no other options.
“There is no dispute that the judgment has not been complied with because the defendant admitted last time that he owes money.”
“He clearly has failed to meet his obligations,” Judge Katz added.
Judge Katz granted Judith’s request for a default judgment against her ex of $225,442 plus $10,000 for her attorney’s fee.
Earlier this month, Rudy said in court that he does owe Judith money but said the requested amount was a “gross exaggeration” and that he would show proof of his claim. However, he never did.
His no-show move came on the day that oral arguments were to be presented regarding the remaining amount owed by Rudy to Judith, following a $45,000 payment that was to be made to the former wife.
“The defendant has chosen not to submit any proof to this court,” said Judge Katz, “Unfortunately, I’m constrained to find him in contempt.”
Judith’s attorney Dror Bikel responded to the judge’s decision by saying, “for 20 years Ms. Giuliani was a loving, devoted and supporting wife of Mr. Giuliani,” and added that the divorce settlement agreed on by both parties more than three-years-ago, was to “to prevent further embarrassment.”
“For him to snub his nose at the court and not bother showing up and appearing in court — God forbid somebody would do that to him when he was US attorney,” Bikel continued.
