Rudy Giuliani faces hefty financial consequences for spreading baseless election allegations.

Rudy Giuliani, the former personal lawyer of ex-US President Donald Trump, has been ordered to pay $148 million to two women from Georgia. A judge previously ruled that Giuliani had made defamatory statements about the women, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, falsely accusing them of tampering with votes in the 2020 election. The women had sought damages ranging from $15 million to $43 million. The verdict was reached after a four-day trial to determine the penalty. The judge ordered punitive damages of $20 million each to be paid to the victims, in addition to over $16 million each for emotional distress. In closing arguments, the women's lawyer referred to Giuliani as the "patient zero" of misinformation and emphasized the impact of his actions on his clients. Giuliani was scheduled to testify in his defense, but it was canceled last minute, with his lawyer stating that the women had suffered enough. While Giuliani's lawyers urged the jury to consider a measured penalty, arguing that his actions were not as malicious as claimed, Ms Freeman recounted her ordeal of having to flee her home after being targeted by Trump supporters due to Giuliani falsely accusing her. She described how the incident left her isolated, fearful, and forced to live in seclusion. Giuliani is also facing criminal charges in Georgia and a $10 million lawsuit over sexual harassment claims. Recent court filings from the IRS also reveal that he owes over half a million dollars in federal taxes. Giuliani's financial woes and questionable spending habits, including claims of spending nearly a million dollars in a five-month period during his divorce case, have come to the forefront. In September, a $100,000-a-plate dinner was hosted by Trump to raise funds for Giuliani's legal defense.