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Judge Under Probe Resigns

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By STEVE ANDREWS and By RAY REYES

sandrews@wfla.com rreyes@tampatrib.com

Published: February 11, 2009

Judge Thomas E. Stringer Jr., accused of having financial dealings with a Las Vegas stripper and under investigation by a judicial commission, resigned Tuesday from the 2nd District Court of Appeal.

Stringer resigned about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, his attorney said.

The resignation letter was short. With it, Stringer in essence opted out of the state's deferred retirement option program, said Stringer's attorney, J. David Bogenschutz of Fort Lauderdale.

By signing up for the program, Stringer had five years to retire. He joined the program 21/2 years ago.

"He took himself out of the program today," Bogenschutz said. "In effect, he retired."

Stringer had been subpoenaed by the Judicial Qualifications Commission on Feb. 2 and was scheduled to appear in Tampa on Friday morning for a deposition, according to a Florida Supreme Court filing.

The commission filed formal charges against Stringer in January, an action similar to a civil lawsuit.

Bogenschutz said what happens next is up to the JQC. "They can continue with this investigation," he said. "At this stage, it's not the most frugal way to proceed."

If Stringer was found to have helped exotic dancer Christy Yamanaka hide her assets from creditors, he could have lost his post, the commission said.

The commission's six-page filing came after News Channel 8 and The Tampa Tribune in 2008 outlined Stringer and Yamanaka's financial dealings.

According to the six-page report:

•Stringer opened bank accounts in his name and the name of a friend of Yamanaka's to hide her assets and income from 2004 to 2007, when she was obligated to pay two creditors about $315,000 plus interest.

•He allowed himself to be listed as the sole titleholder of a house in Hawaii purchased with Yamanaka's money to hide her interest in the property from creditors.

•He allowed Yamanaka to use bank accounts in his name to make large cash deposits and transfer money to other accounts.

•He obtained a rent-controlled apartment in New York in his name on Yamanaka's behalf.

•He obtained a no-interest loan of at least $50,000 from Yamanaka that he failed to disclose or repay.

•He did not disclose several gifts from Yamanaka, including an all-expense-paid vacation in Las Vegas, a customized 2001 Mercedes and two Rolex watches.

In 2008, Stringer said he and Yamanaka were business partners in the purchase and sale of the house in Hawaii but that he was not helping her hide money.

He was appointed to the 2nd District Court of Appeal in February 1999 by Gov. Jeb Bush. In 1987, Gov. Bob Martinez made Stringer the first black circuit judge in Hillsborough County.

Reporter Steve Andrews can be reached at (813) 221-5779. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920.

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