Rudy Giuliani sales pitch for “Rudy Coffee,” as posted on his X account on May 21, 2024 (@RudyGiuliani/X screengrab)
It seemed like it was only a matter of time before lawyers for the creditors of former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani dug deeper into how “Rudy Coffee” came to be, but a Friday filing confirmed the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors’ intent to subpoena a Miami coffee roaster’s company.
In the notice, the committee identified Burke Brands LLC as the intended recipient of a subpoena seeking “[a]ll Documents and Communications sufficient to show the nature of any relationship” between the coffee roasting business, Rudy Coffee, Giuliani himself and “any Debtor Related Entity” or “Person.”
The subpoena demands information on the “ownership of Rudy Coffee,” the Giuliani beans-focused website’s domain name, and “any intellectual property associated with Rudy Coffee.”
The committee also seeks to discover if there was “any actual, contemplated or proposed contracts or agreements” between Giuliani and Burke Brands LLC, as well as documents that would reveal “income, revenue or other compensation” Giuliani received from the coffee roaster for the “sale, production or distribution of coffee or any other products.”
Finally, the notice expressed an interest in learning whether Burke Brands LLC participated in “any fundraising efforts […] on behalf of, or for the benefit of Rudy Coffee[.]”
As Law&Crime reported on Rudy Coffee more than a week ago, the new business venture popped up not long after Giuliani’s WABC Radio firing and on the same day that the judge in Giuliani’s bankruptcy said he was “disturbed about the status of this case,” slamming the debtor’s “troubling attitude vis-à-vis the law and the court system.” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane’s remarks were issued as the judge declined to let Giuliani appeal a $146 million defamation judgment for defaming Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
More recently, and just three days ago, Giuliani agreed to a permanent injunction barring him from repeating “defamatory statements for which he has been held liable” in the Freeman case and “any substantially similar statements.”
Rudy Coffee (as seen on the product’s website)
That same day, on which Giuliani pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Arizona’s fake electors prosecution, the budding coffee salesman pitched his product and invited supporters to pre-order the coffee beans.
Pre order today https://t.co/9ZXtDxyWdg pic.twitter.com/mtABY8U8Pe
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) May 21, 2024
“You all know I stand by the truth, and if I put my name on something I truly believe it,” Giuliani said. “Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to something I’m incredibly proud of: My own brand of organic specialty coffee Rudy Coffee. Believe me when I say it’s the best coffee you’ll ever try.”
A Friday morning post showed Giuliani giving a thumbs up while checking out the beans.
Order today at https://t.co/vUcYW2aNqp pic.twitter.com/how2Ma6K3R
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) May 24, 2024
In a previous statement to Law&Crime on the former mayor’s behalf about Rudy Coffee, Ted Goodman said Giuliani is “regularly asked to partner with products and services as a trusted and respected public figure.”
“He doesn’t get behind anything he doesn’t believe in, and as an avid consumer of coffee (due to his demanding work schedule) he’s 100 percent behind this product and brand, and as they say, ‘don’t knock it until you try it,’” Goodman said.
Law&Crime reached out to Goodman for comment on the latest development. Law&Crime also requested comment from Darron “Don Pablo” Burke, the president and CEO of Burke Brands.
Read the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors’ notice of intent to subpoena Burke Brands LLC here.
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