George Zimmerman instructed his wife, Shellie, on how to transfer money from his bank account into hers and his sister's while he was in jail, according to recordings of jail calls released Monday by the Florida State Attorney's Office.
In the six calls, Zimmerman spent considerable time instructing his wife on changing account passwords and moving money out of his account every day.
The calls, which were made from April 12 through April 17, were part of the evidence the state introduced in its request that Zimmerman's bond be revoked. The court was prepared to release all 151 phone calls Zimmerman had in jail, but his attorney requested a hearing to stop the rest.
Zimmerman faces second-degree murder charges over the shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., in February. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense.
Prosecutors say the calls show that Zimmerman tried to hide his financial assets from the court. Before Judge Kenneth Lester set bail at $150,000, Shellie Zimmerman testifed that she didn't know how much money had been raised from a website created for her husband's legal defense. He had raised at least $135,000 before his arrest.
After the calls were revealed, Lester revoked Zimmerman's bond on June 1 and sent him back to jail. He will have another bond hearing June 29. Shellie Zimmerman was charged with perjury and released on $1,000 bond.
In one conversation, Zimmerman details how his wife should move money into her account and help his sister open an account so they can move money into that one, too. In another, he waits on the phone while she transfers money into her account to make sure it works.
In another, he tells his wife, "If you have more than $10, then you can, maybe that same day, put 10 in hers and she can take the 10 out … to keep in your pocket, … And then, at the institution, see if you can put 10 into hers right away … And see if she can take 10, that 10 out and put it in the, in the box there."
Another call referred to a safety deposit box.
Zimmerman instructs his wife to set a reminder on her phone to make the daily transfers.
Prosecutors allege that Zimmerman and his wife talked about $10, $20 and $100 to mask the fact that they were referring to thousands of dollars.
"In my account, do I have at least $100?" Zimmerman asks his wife in one conversation.
"There's, like, $8," she tells him.
"Okay, so total, everything, how much are we looking at?" he asks.
"Um, like, $155," she answers.
Other parts of their conversations highlight security concerns for Zimmerman and his family. His lawyer has said Zimmerman has received death threats.
In one exchange, he asked his wife if she's looked into getting a protective vest. He asked her to get three — one for him, one for her and one for his attorney, Mark O'Mara.
"We need to get on it ASAP, 'cause you know the, the — personally, I want you wearing one," he tells her. "As uncomfortable as it is, I want you wearing one."
They talk about mundane things, including paying off their Sam's Club credit card and American Express bills. Zimmerman refers several times to "shower day" when he's able to take a shower in jail.
They talk about the logistics of him leaving jail and about renting two cars, including an SUV, in case they are followed. Shellie Zimmerman wonders, "I don't know if they black out SUVs, though." Then she says, "You could always, like, lay down or something."
"Yeah, exactly. Well, I have my hoodie," he responds.
Shellie Zimmerman tells her husband in one conversation, "All morning online we have been reading so many positive, um, websites dedicated to a — a more true narrative to you."
In another call, she reassures him, "This is only temporary."
"I know," he replies. "Um, my dad's really confident about everything. I don't know what was said in that meeting, but my dad seemed very, very confident."