A New York judge has summoned Rudy Giuliani to court on Thursday to provide an explanation for his failure to comply with a deadline to hand over his assets related to a substantial $148 million defamation ruling.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman issued this directive late on Monday after attorneys representing Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, reported that they visited Giuliani’s Manhattan residence last week, only to find it devoid of his belongings.

An earlier deadline had been established for October 29, requiring Giuliani to submit his possessions to the representatives of Freeman and Moss, but the lawyers indicated that no items had been received as of Monday.

Among the items in question are his luxurious $5 million Upper East Side apartment, a classic 1980 Mercedes initially owned by actress Lauren Bacall, a variety of other possessions such as a signed shirt by baseball great Joe DiMaggio, a television, and a collection of 26 upscale watches.

Initially, the judge had planned a telephonic status conference for Thursday but later modified it to an in-person session, mandating Giuliani’s attendance in light of the claims put forth by the attorneys of Freeman and Moss.

Giuliani’s representative, Ted Goodman, stated on Tuesday that Giuliani has made his belongings accessible to Freeman and Moss, but he did not substantively address why those assets remain untransferred.

In a statement, Goodman accused the opposing legal team of either acting carelessly or engaging in deceptive practices to harass Giuliani, claiming it is a tactic aimed at financially and socially isolating him. He expressed concern that such actions represent a troubling trend in the justice system that should alarm all Americans.

Goodman further noted that Giuliani has stored “a few items” over the past year and that any removals were intended for his two weekly livestream programs streamed on various social media platforms.

Giuliani, the ex-mayor of New York City and a key supporter of former President Donald Trump, was found guilty of defamation for falsely alleging that Freeman and Moss engaged in ballot fraud during the 2020 elections. These claims included allegations of ballot manipulation and illegal voting activities, which were part of broader, unsubstantiated fraud claims made on behalf of Trump.

The two women have indicated that Giuliani’s fabrications led to threats against their lives, prompting them to fear for their safety. As a result, a jury awarded them $148 million last year, and they have been pursuing the seizure of Giuliani’s assets through the New York court system.

In court documents, attorney Aaron Nathan for Freeman and Moss stated that Giuliani and his legal team have been unresponsive to essential inquiries about the whereabouts of the majority of the valuables associated with the court order.

Nathan highlighted the alarming nature of Giuliani’s apparent actions to relocate his possessions from the New York apartment while a restraining notice was in effect and during an ongoing turnover request for those items.

On Thursday, the attorneys for Freeman and Moss were granted access to Giuliani’s residence to evaluate, with a moving company representative, the logistics concerning the transfer and storage of the possessions meant to be surrendered.

Upon arrival, Nathan reported that the apartment was already significantly emptied, noting that they were informed that much of the property had been removed around four weeks earlier.

According to Nathan, the only remaining items were a few rugs, a dining room table, minor furniture pieces, cheaper wall art, and some small objects like dishes and stereo components.

He indicated that this situation has effectively left behind the “vast majority” of the valuable items known to be stored in the apartment, including artwork, sports memorabilia, and high-end furnishings.

Giuliani’s legal representation has suggested that some of the property has been transferred to a storage unit located in Ronkonkoma, approximately 50 miles east of Manhattan, but there has been no provided inventory to clarify what exactly is stored there.

Furthermore, Giuliani’s lawyers have maintained, although without success so far, that Freeman and Moss should not have the right to obtain and sell his possessions while he appeals the decision in a federal court in Washington.