During preliminary hearings for the murder, Zimmerman and his wife claimed they were indigent. A sympathetic judge set his bail at $150,000, which is exactly how much you'd have to post if you were arrested for bothering Mila Kunis. However, stories soon surfaced that Zimmerman had received $155,000 in PayPal donations from people who support his right to shoot unarmed black teenagers, and the judge realized that Zimmerman had lied.
He ordered the kid-killer jailed.
Today prosecutors say they have proof of Zimmerman's deceit and more. In recorded phone calls, Zimmerman and his wife not only acknowledge the $155,000 in donations but also discuss transferring the money between bank accounts in a way specifically designed to avoid money-laundering laws.
Banks are required to report financial transactions of $10,000 or more, and it is a federal crime to make repeated transactions in smaller amounts to dodge this requirement. Mr. Zimmerman's banking records show numerous transfers of exactly $9,999.
With this new evidence in hand, Trayvon Martin's killer may actually find himself in hot water. If found guilty, he could follow in the footsteps of rich white Republican Tom DeLay, who received ten years of probation for money laundering.
Finally, Mr. Zimmerman's critics say with a sigh of relief, he will learn that there are some things you just can't get away with in America.
