The wife of George Zimmerman was arrested Tuesday on one count of perjury, accused of lying when she told a judge that the couple had limited funds during her husband's bond hearing, authorities said.
At 3:30 p.m. deputies arrested Shellie Zimmerman, 25, at the location where she was living in Seminole County and took her to the local jail. Her bond was set at $1,000.
She quickly bonded out of jail.
Click here for the capias information and probable cause affidavit on Shellie Zimmerman.
George Zimmerman, 28, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for the killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, of Miami Gardens in a Sanford gated community on Feb. 26. He claims self-defense.
George Zimmerman’s bond was revoked 11 days ago, when the judge suggested that Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie, had not been honest about their finances.
The couple indicated they had limited funds during George Zimmerman's April 20 bond hearing.
But prosecutors pointed out that he had $135,000 available at the time, in money raised from donations through a website he set up.
Shellie Zimmerman was asked about the website at the bond hearing, but said she didn't know how much money had been raised.
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She knowingly made a false statement, which she did not believe to be true at her husband’s bond hearing, prosecutors said. She had testified by phone during the hearing.
George Zimmerman's defense attorney, Mark O'Mara, has said that the Zimmermans were confused and fearful when they misled court officials about how much money they had.
In the probable cause affidavit against Shellie Zimmerman, investigator T.C. O’Steen highlighted how she told O’Mara during the bond hearing that she did not know of other major assets that she could liquidate to help to pay for her husband's bond.
When O’Mara asked if she had any financial means to help with her husband’s costs, she replied, “Uhm, not – not that I’m aware of,” according to the affidavit.
During cross-examination by prosecutor Bernardo de la Rionda, Shellie Zimmerman said that to her knowledge she and her husband had no money to make bond. She told de la Rionda that she was aware of her husband’s website but did not know how much money had been obtained or collected from it, the affidavit said.
Insight Credit Union records show that Shellie Zimmerman transferred more than $74,000 from her husband’s account to her account between April 16 and April 19, all in amounts lower than $10,000, according to the affidavit.
She also withdrew $18,000 in two increments of $9,000 from her account at the credit union on April 16, the affidavit said.
More than $47,000 was transferred from George Zimmerman’s account to his sister’s account between April 16 and April 17, it added.
George Zimmerman was released from jail early on April 23 on $150,000 bond after posting $15,000 in cash, or one-tenth of the total amount, which is typical.
The next day, on April 24, Shellie Zimmerman transferred more than $85,000 from her account back to her husband’s account, according to the affidavit.
In a jail phone call, George Zimmerman told his wife to pay off all the bills, including an American Express card and a Sam's Club card, the affidavit said.
