George Zimmerman, the man that was out on bail for second-degree murder charges in the highly publicized death of Trayvon Martin, has now had his bail revoked as his wife, Shellie Zimmerman, has been found guilty of perjury in a scheme meant to hide the couple's money, and save George Zimmerman a higher bail amount, as reported by the Boston Herald and others.
Shellie Zimmerman told Judge Kenneth Lester that she did "not know" how much their website had collected in donations when he queried her. Additionally, Mrs. Zimmerman and other Zimmerman family members told the judge that the family's financial state was grim.
Judge Lester then granted Zimmerman a bail amount of $150,000.
Prosecutors alleged that Mrs. Zimmerman moved tens of thousands of dollars from her husband's bank accounts, just before the April hearing, and then purposely lied to the judge about the couple's financial situation.
On June 12 Mrs. Zimmerman was subsequently arrested – charged with perjury – and booked into the same jail her husband had been in, the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.
The judge has since revoked George Zimmerman's bail.
After hearing of Mrs. Zimmerman's arrest, an attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, Benjamin Crump, said, "The prosecutor sent a strong message that you have to tell the truth in court because it is the whole basis of the American judicial system."
The prosecutor's affidavit read that within four days after testifying to be low on funds, Mrs. Zimmerman moved approximately $47,000 from her husband's bank account into his sister's account.
Mrs. Zimmerman, according to prosecutors, also removed another $18,000 in cash.
In recorded jailhouse conversations the Zimmerman's made up a code to tell each other about money – conspicuously dropping zeros. They discussed $100 when they were actually referring to $100,000.
Prosecutors allege that during at least two of the recorded calls Mrs. Zimmerman and Zimmerman's sister were at a local credit union moving the money.
One recorded call was Zimmerman instructing his wife on which bills to pay – American Express and Sam's Club – and how to pay them.
The prosecutor's affidavit said that following Zimmerman's release Mrs. Zimmerman transferred over $85,000 back into her husband's account.
A credit union bank manager, that knew the couple, witnessed a phone call between the two, while Mrs. Zimmerman was at the bank, on April 16. The branch manager added that he not only helped Mrs. Zimmerman with the transaction, at one point she handed the phone to him and he spoke directly to Zimmerman.
Shellie Zimmerman has been charged with one count of third-degree felony perjury in an official proceeding. Though she made her $1,000 bond, her husband is back in jail with a new bond hearing scheduled for later in June.
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