TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Seminole County judge Tuesday said Attorney General Pam Bondi will not have to testify under oath as part of a high-profile case that alleges the Internet café industry was involved in illegal gambling, racketeering and money laundering, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Defendants in the case subpoenaed Bondi because she had solicited a $25,000 donation on behalf of the state Republican Party from key industry player International Internet Technologies LLC.
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But Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. ruled Tuesday that anything Bondi had to say about the issue would be inadmissible, according to the Sentinel.
Also, he found that Bondi was entitled to immunity because of her position and that defense attorneys failed to show that what she would say is relevant and unavailable from others, the newspaper reported online.
A massive raid on Internet cafes in March ultimately led the Legislature to pass a law aimed at shutting down the industry.