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Judicial Group Drops Case Against Ex-Judge In Stripper Inquiry

Tribune file photos

Former state appellate judge Thomas E. Stringer was financially linked to Las Vegas stripper Christy Yamanaka.

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TBO.com

Published: March 19, 2009

Updated: 03/19/2009 08:40 pm

TAMPA - The agency that investigates judges announced Thursday it is dropping its ethics complaint against 2nd District Court of Appeal Judge Thomas E. Stringer.

The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission voluntarily dismissed misconduct charges against Stringer based on the judge's retirement last month. The judge was accused of helping a stripper hide money from creditors.

Michael L. Schneider, the group's general counsel, said there was no reason to proceed because Stringer had resigned and agreed to neither seek judicial office again nor serve as a senior judge.

"He's gone, left the bench, not going to sit as a senior judge, so our part is done," commission Executive Director Brooke Kennerly said.

The commission began looking at Stringer after a series of reports in March 2008 by WFLA-TV News Channel 8 and The Tampa Tribune revealed that Stringer allowed New York stripper Christy Yamanaka to deposit tens of thousands of dollars into his bank accounts while she owed creditors more than $300,000.

In January, the JQC accused Stringer of helping Yamanaka hide money from her creditors. It also found evidence Stringer purchased a house in Hawaii with Yamanaka and left her name off the mortgage.

The state also accused the judge of failing to disclose valuable gifts Yamanaka lavished on him, including Rolex watches, a holiday vacation in Las Vegas and a trip to New York City, where he stayed in the posh Waldorf Astoria.

In February, Stringer was to answer the JQC's questions under oath. Three days before the planned deposition, the judge sent a letter informing the governor of his retirement.

At the time, Stringer's attorney J. David Bogenschutz expected the JQC to drop its investigation.

With tight budgets and other cases to pursue, Kennerly said the JQC had to consider the best use of its limited resources.

"As our general counsel says, the ultimate, the death penalty from the JQC is removal from the bench," said Kennerly. "When talking about limited budget funds, the commission had the feeling it was not wise to spend money on a case that won't go anywhere, anyway."

Stringer's financial dealings with Yamanaka are being investigated by the F.B.I.

Stringer was the first African-American judge to sit on the Hillsborough Circuit Court and the 2nd District Court of Appeal.

Yamanaka said she is disappointed in the JQC decision, saying citizens depend on the sound judgment of judges.

"We as vulnerable individual citizens put our lives in his hand," Yamanaka said. "I will not forgive him whatsoever."

Yamanaka said she hopes the F.B.I. thoroughly investigates Judge Stringer.

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