Florida Man Files Motion Asking His Sex Tapes Be Played For the Jury
A Florida man on trial for fraud has come up with a graphic defense — his sex tapes.
Rogerio Scotton, born in Brazil, is now representing himself against federal charges of mail fraud and immigration fraud after firing six defense attorneys in a row.
The 43-year-old businessman is accused of operating a multimillion dollar mail fraud involving shipping companies FedEx, UPS and DHL. Prosecutors say he stole millions of dollars from the shippers by creating phony accounts that fraudulently billed major companies like Target, WalMart and Apple between 2007 and 2012.
It's not clear what his defense against the mail fraud charges are, but Scotton says he's trying to introduce the tapes — purportedly made with his wife — to demonstrate that his marriage to her was real, and not merely a ploy to get permanent resident status.
When the judge advised Scotton she would need to hold a hearing to review the footage and photos and would prefer if he could reach a deal with the prosecution to avoid showing the jury, Scotton was happy to set her straight.
"Why is the privacy of my wife important at this point?" Scotton asked the judge. "I'm facing jail time."
Scotton (or a friend or family member) also appears to have been trying to crowdfund his attorneys' fees.
@latoyajackson need financial help to get a lawyer, please donate Wells Fargo Bank Florida # 7509040163 Roger Scotton Legal Foundation
— Rogerio Scotton (@RogerioScotton) July 14, 2013