In an effort to reverse Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election, the former New York City Mayor was found guilty of defaming Georgia election workers.

A bankruptcy judge ruled that Rudy Giuliani can appeal a $146 million verdict, after he had been found guilty of defaming Georgia election workers. He could do this if he used pre-approved donors for the legal costs.

A jury of eight members awarded Ruby Freeman, her daughter Wandrea “Shaye”, Moss and themselves a multi-million dollar judgment in December after Giuliani had been found to have defamed the pair. The mother-daughter team said that Giuliani’s actions changed their lives and led to a flood of racist and violent threat. Giuliani falsely accused the mother-daughter duo of committing fraud in Georgia, as part of an effort to reverse Donald Trump’s defeat at the 2020 elections.

Giuliani declared bankruptcy in New York after the Washington federal judge ordered him to pay the Georgia election workers. The bankruptcy judge in Giuliani’s New York case said on Tuesday that the former mayor had to seek approval from the judge before third-party payments of fees and expenses. The judge stated that these fees could not be paid from Giuliani’s assets.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court wrote that “Any fees or expenses incurred by Debtor, his attorneys, or any other parties in the Freeman Litigation, in connection with the Post-Trial Files and Notice of Appeal, shall not be repaid by, nor shall it result in a claim made against, Debtor, his estate,

Freeman and Moss, in a court filing filed last week, noted that Giuliani’s son was the president of Giuliani Defense – a legal defence fund – and stated that it was “essential” to get clarity on how Legal Defense Funds themselves were funded. On Monday, Giuliani announced that he hadn’t directly or indirectly contributed any money to his legal defense funds.

Ted Goodman is a political adviser to Giuliani. He said, “We are very grateful for the judge’s prompt consideration of this case and look forward in proceeding accordingly.”

A judge in Trump’s fraud trial fined him more than $350m, and that amount grows to over $450m with interest. The judge found that Trump and his executives showed a “complete absence of contrition and regret” that was bordering on “pathological.”