A new lawsuit filed by Noelle Dunphy claims Rudy Giuliani created a “toxic and sexually-hostile work environment,” when she worked for his company.
Dunphy says she worked for Giuliani as “an off-the-books, secret employee,” doing business development work beginning in January 2019 until she was fired in 2021, according to the New York Post. He allegedly “sexually harassed [her] and demanded sexual favors,” according to a Manhattan Supreme Court summons filed Tuesday. She is seeking a jury trial and $3.1 million in compensatory damages in civil action against Giuliani, his businesses and 10 John and Jane Does, the Daily Beast reported.
NY woman sues Rudy Giuliani for $3.1M claiming he demanded sexual favors, created ‘toxic’ work environment https://t.co/2zwCAYPrFk pic.twitter.com/KMvAvEfXSJ
— New York Post (@nypost) January 5, 2023
She is representing herself in the lawsuit and alleges Giuliani frequently made racist, sexist, anti-semitic and anti-LBGTQ remarks, typically during drunken tirades, according to the documents, the Post reported. The lawsuit claims that Giuliani allegedly struggled with alcoholism because of his divorce and his controversial legal work for former President Donald Trump. (RELATED: Rep. Matt Gaetz Votes For Trump For House Speaker)
Dunphy claims he allegedly arranged for her to receive “deferred compensation” as a secret employee and allegedly fired her in 2021 without providing compensation for her work, the New York Post reported. Dunphy also alleges she was not offered severance or reimbursement for work expenses.
Giuliani allegedly threatened Dunphy to stay quiet and “demanded that [she] remain silent about all associations,” the lawsuit claims, according to the New York Post. He allegedly stated his private investigators and political connections to Trump would enable him to retaliate in other ways, the outlet noted.
Dunphy did not explicitly state in the lawsuit if they were romantically involved, but she told the Daily Beast that “it began with Rudy as my boss and lawyer and later turned romantic.” She alleges Giuliani was a “manipulative abuser” and she “can’t be silent any longer,” the Beast reported.
“These are libelous allegations drafted by an individual with no lawyer, because no lawyer would associate themselves with this nonsense,” Giuliani’s lawyer Robert Costello told the Daily Beast. He also told the Beast that Dunphy “never worked for any Giuliani entity.”
Dunphy responded to Costello’s claims, saying her summons contains “very specific allegations of non-payment and an unlawfully toxic work environment, all of which are offered in a court filing subject to a penalty of perjury and backed by evidence which will be introduced at trial,” according to the Daily Beast.