A past associate of Rudy Giuliani has filed a lawsuit against the lawyer and ex-mayor over sexual assault claims.
Noelle Dunphy said she worked for Giuliani as an off-the-books employee while he was Trump’s personal lawyer. She said she was hired in January of 2019. The lawsuit alleged Giuliani abused his power to commit “sexual assault and harassment, wage theft, and other misconduct.”
The filing claims Dunphy was hired as a director of business development with a salary of $1 million plus expenses and that Giuliani began abusing Dunphy shortly after her employment started.
“He made clear that satisfying his sexual demands which came virtually anytime, anywhere was an absolute requirement of her employment and of his legal representation,” the lawsuit reads.
According to the lawsuit, in the same month Dunphy was hired, Giuliani allegedly paid to fly her on a semiprivate chartered plane to New York, where he insisted she stay at his Upper East Side guest suite. After providing alcoholic drinks for them, Giuliani sexually assaulted Dunphy, the lawsuit says.
“But Ms. Dunphy felt extreme pressure to go along with Giuliani’s demands because she could not lose her promised salary or her legal representation by the uniquely qualified and connected lawyer,” the filing reads.
Dunphy claims in the litigation that she has recordings of the former New York City mayor making racist, sexist, and antisemitic comments in the workplace while under the influence of alcohol.
The filing includes screenshots of text messages between the two, detailing Giuliani asking for sexual favors from Dunphy, some of which took place during work events.
“Even when the Covid-19 pandemic halted Giuliani’s ability to physically assault her, he demanded that she disrobe during their work-related videoconferences,” the lawsuit says.
Dunphy’s employment was terminated in January 2021 after she expressed a fear of Giuliani and she made a statement “that she would sue Giuliani and the Giuliani Companies for their treatment of her, including but not limited to based on sexual harassment and gender discrimination,” according to the lawsuit.
The filing includes text messages regarding her termination, in which Giuliani writes, “It was a useless call if you write me things like you’re afraid of me and you won’t sue me,” and it expresses that Giuliani does not want to be in communication with someone who is afraid of him: “You can feel safe that I would do nothing to hurt you and I feel sorry for you.” The lawsuit also claims Giuliani failed to pay her almost $2 million in wages from her employment.
Giuliani is facing legal troubles in Georgia as well, in a defamation case brought by two state election workers who claim Giuliani falsely accused them of election fraud.
Ted Goodman, an adviser to Giuliani, said Giuliani denies the allegations, adding “Mayor Giuliani’s lifetime of public service speaks for itself and he will pursue all available remedies and counterclaims.” Dunphy is seeking $10 million from Giuliani and his company, outlining 24 causes of action in her lawsuit.