Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, is facing a lawsuit filed by his ex-attorney over unpaid legal fees amounting to nearly $1.6 million. The lawsuit, filed by Robert Costello, a partner at the law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, alleges that Giuliani failed to pay the outstanding bill for legal representation in various criminal investigations.
According to the complaint filed in the New York Supreme Court, Giuliani hired Costello and his law firm in 2019 to represent him in multiple criminal investigations, including those conducted by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Georgia, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the U.S. House Select Committee’s investigation into the same event.
The lawsuit claims that Giuliani owes the law firm approximately $1,574,196.10 in legal fees, of which he has only paid $214,000 to date. Costello and his firm are now seeking the remaining $1,360,196.10 in outstanding bills.
The complaint also states that Giuliani received all the invoices for the legal defense and never raised any objections regarding the amount billed. Therefore, the lawsuit argues that Giuliani breached his retainer agreement by failing to pay the invoices in full despite being duly demanded to do so.
This lawsuit adds to the legal woes faced by Giuliani, who is already under investigation in various criminal cases. In Georgia, he was indicted, along with others, on charges of violating the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The indictment accuses Giuliani and his associates of engaging in a criminal organization involved in activities such as false statements, impersonating public officials, forgery, filing false documents, and perjury.
Furthermore, Giuliani was recently found liable in a defamation lawsuit filed by Georgia election workers, who claimed he falsely accused them of ballot tampering during the 2020 election. The judge ordered Giuliani to pay over $130,000 in attorney fees for the two election workers involved in the case.
Responding to the lawsuit filed by his former attorney, Giuliani expressed his disappointment and claimed that the legal fees being demanded were excessive. However, Costello countered Giuliani’s statement by highlighting that the former mayor owed the law firm $1.4 million and had never complained about the bills until the lawsuit was threatened.
This legal battle over unpaid fees adds to Giuliani’s legal and financial troubles, as he continues to face various investigations and lawsuits. The outcome of this lawsuit will determine whether Giuliani will be held accountable for the outstanding legal expenses incurred during his defense in the criminal investigations surrounding him.
