Daughter gets bail, dad doesn't in fraud case

TAMPA -- Clad in orange jail frocks and leg chains, the father and daughter accused of taking part in a $70-million international fraud ring showed different reactions to their circumstances during a hearing this afternoon at the U.S. Federal Courthouse.

Paul Robert Gunter, 58, walked in and smiled broadly at the family and friends who showed up to show  support and concern.

Zibiah Joy Gunter, 25, broke into tears minutes before the hearing began and shyly waved at those who were there to encourage her.

By the end of the hearing, it was the father who had reason for concern. U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas B. McCoun III denied him release on a $500,000-secured bond scraped together mostly by his wife, Carleen Burnett Gunter.

McCoun granted the daughter release on a $150,000-bond from Burnett Gunter, her step-mother. She was placed under electronic surveilance.

Why the difference?

McCoun said  Paul Gunter was more of a flight risk, considering that he faces life imprisonment, had citizenship in England, and that, if the charges he faces are true, there may be more money stashed in foreign accounts and contacts in other countries that could help him escape. He said he wanted at least $1-million posted from his family and friends before he said he would consider his release on bond.

Gunter's attorney, public defender Howard Anderson, took a 15-minute recess to collect more than $500,000, all from Gunter's wife in the form of equity from her home and two Lexuses and his own house in Palm Harbor.

"Not adequate," McCoun said. "I want people to come forward and say they have so much faith in him that they'll put up their house."

Gunter and his daughter were arrested last week on allegations that they helped hijack the identity of defunct corporations and sold fictional stocks, pocketing at least $70-million in ill-gotten gains over the last three years.

Gunter, of Odessa, and Zibiah Gunter, of Oldsmar, were charged with conspiring to commit substantive acts of mail fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. Federal agents said the Gunters and at least four others were part of an international ring that laundered money across the world in countries like Spain, Tanzania, Barbados and Peru.

Anderson said the other conspirators had not been charged yet, and that it was unfair to place the blame for the ring on Gunter. He said the bank accounts weren't linked to him, only to companies where he was listed as a registered agent or an officer.

"All he is is an escrow agent working on the advice of others," Anderson said. "As the case progresses, people will see that he's not involved to the extent that the government says he's involved."

The same is true for Zibiah Gunter, said her attorney, Sharon Semek.

"(The government) doesn't have any evidence that my client knew about the hijacking of corporations," Semek said. "She didn't think she was doing anything more than escrow work."

--Times staff writer Michael Van Sickler            

Comments

[hobson-thats who!]

Hire George Tragos! Not only are he and his partner Peter Sartes cutting edge brilliant, they actually take on difficult and unpopular cases in which they tend to make a difference.

[BILL D.]

How do they qualify for the public defender with all those assets and collateral??

[Jim]

They got $70 million...how many lost that $70 million? Many life savings?

No Bail and yank the PD! Let 'em rot!

[Danny]

Obviously you guys arent thinking clearly. If they stole this money, how are they going to use it to pay for the legal expenses? Duh! They can't!

[Candi]

Yes I wondered how they got a public defender my self?? But could come up with all the bond money ? It dosn't work that way I thought. But today I guess every thing is unjust.

[Candi]

Home's and car's they got the bond money up?? was it stolen money? The Judge took the bond money for the daughter. So how is that ? I am thinking clearly. I guess family put in for bond. I am sure all the family member's had stolen money from the fraud charge's right? Or don't you think they filled there pocket's to?