Lesbian ‘Robin Hood’ arrested
October 6th, 2009 by Kaite.Welsh
A lesbian activist in the United States has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud.
Phyllis Stevens, a prominent campaigner for gay marriage, appears to have siphoned off $5.9 million from her previous employers, insurance company Aviva USA.
Stevens and her partner Marla, who has been named as a beneficiary of the crime, were described by LGBT lifestyle magazine Edge Boston as a “lesbian Bonnie & Clyde” who refused to “lie about our marriage on our tax forms” even though their 2003 ceremony in Canada was not legal in Iowa until this year.
Eyebrows were raised when it turned out that over the same period Stevens donated a large amount of money to various political causes, including Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign and grassroots liberal organisation MoveOn.
The politicians she supported are now distancing themselves from Stevens, and many have returned her campaign contributions.
58 year-old Stevens has been removed from her position as chair of the Iowan branch of Marriage Equality USA, who describe themselves as “stunned and bewildered” by the news.
[Via The Advocate]
Good work Phyllis and Marla! Now all we need is a modern day Woodie Guthrie to write songs about them.
Caisa Viksten ∼ October 6th, 2009 11:34 am