Former Freedom Industries executive released on bond

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that former Freedom Industries executive Gary Southern was arrested Monday, December 8, 2014, in the Middle District of Florida. He made his initial court appearance today at 1:00 p.m. before United States Magistrate Judge Carol Mirando in Ft. Myers, Florida. Southern was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond, with his travel restricted to the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of West Virginia. He was also required to surrender his passport and lawful permanent resident card. Southern’s next court appearance is set for December 18, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., for a preliminary hearing in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Dwane Tinsley at the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse in Charleston, West Virginia. Southern’s arrest comes as a result of a criminal complaint filed Monday, December 8, 2014, in the Southern District of West Virginia, charging him with bankruptcy fraud, lying in a bankruptcy case and committing wire fraud by filing false documents in a bankruptcy case.

Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.