Alleged UES Madam Anna Gristina Remains At Rikers Island After Falling Out With Former Lawyer
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The so-called "soccer mom madam" has been demanding to be released from Rikers Island, but rejected a plan on Monday that would have won her freedom.
Anna Gristina rejected the offer from her former lawyer to secure her $250,000 bond with the deed for his luxury Tribeca apartment. Instead of walking free from Rikers, she'll spend at least one more night behind bars.
1010 WINS' Juliet Papa Reports
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Gristina has been at Rikers Island since February, being held in lieu of $1 million bail or $2 million bond on a single count of promoting prostitution.
WCBS 880's Irene Cornell With More On The Story
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Last week, a panel of judges reduced her bail to a $250,000 bond or $125,000 cash bail. The lowered bail is an amount Gristina's family said they can meet, using former attorney Peter Gleason's Manhattan apartment as collateral.
However, on Monday, Gristina rejected property put up by Gleason and her lawyer, saying she would not accept a bond using Gleason's apartment.
"She would be more comfortable if bond was secured by her family," Gristina's attorney, Norman Pattis, said.
So what happened?
CBS 2 news has learned Gleason visited Gristina at Rikers on Sunday and they had a falling out. She then decided to sever ties and her attorney politely told Gleason to bug out, CBS 2's Tony Aiello reported.
"She has further requested that Mr. Gleason cease any efforts to advance what he sees as her interests," Pattis said.
Gristina said she hopes to be released by Wednesday -- the day of her son's high school graduation, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
High-profile bail bondsman Ira Judelson is working on a new package to win Gristina's release.
"I'm a parent myself, that's something that's important to Anna and her family. She also has a 9-year-old, so we're working hard to try and get her out the door," Judelson said.
Prosecutors said her original bail was so high because she has the means and motive to run. Gristina allegedly operated brothels on East 78th Street and in Upstate Monroe.
But her husband, Kelvin Gorr, has insisted the family is broke and has even taken to the Internet to raise money from strangers for her bail.
He admitted his wife would set people up, some of them married, but denied she was running a prostitution ring.
"She has some beautiful looking friends who are women and beautiful looking friends who are males," Gorr said. "Maybe they're missing something in their life, they want a beautiful woman, who doesn't?"
If and when she is released, she's expected to live with her husband and four children at their home in Monroe, N.Y., and will have to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and turn over her passport.
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