Peter Franklin Paul (born September 2, 1948)United States Attorney's Office, "Peter Paul, co-founder of Stan Lee Media, Inc., pleads guilty to securities fraud; Fraud scheme caused $25 million in losses to investors and financial institutions" , press release, March 11, 2005. is an American former lawyer and entrepreneur who was convicted for conspiracy and drug dealing, and later for securities fraud in connection with his business dealings with Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee.
He has repeatedly brought suit against Hillary Clinton, accusing her of lying about donations he solicited on behalf of her 2000 senatorial campaign.April Witt, "House Of Cards: What do Cher, a Hollywood con man, a political rising star and an audacious felon have in common? Together they gave Bill and Hillary Clinton a night they'll never forget – no matter how hard they may try", The Washington Post, October 9, 2005, p. W10.
In the 1990s, Paul managed Italian model, actor, and author Fabio Lanzoni."Wall Street: The dubious profits in patriotism", The New York Times, July 22, 1990, p. A15."Comics exec focuses on 'Spider-Man 2' as former partner prepares for trial", USA Today, May 12, 2004, p. B01.
The Cuban coffee caper In the 1970s, Peter Paul served as President of the Miami World Trade Center."Lawyer Extradited Back to U.S. from Brazil for Fraud Charges", Miami Herald, September 30, 2003. As a result of what Paul described as anti-Communist and anti-Castro political activities,"Who Killed Stan Lee Media? Peter Paul Tells His Side of the Story", Comics Journal, May 2001, p. 6. he directed a fraud on the Cuban government of $8.75 million by selling agents of Cuban president Fidel Castro nonexistent coffee. The plan apparently also involved sinking the ship that was to deliver the nonexistent coffee to hide the fraud from Castro and, according to Time magazine, to defraud its insurer, but the conspirators neglected to bribe a port official in Santo Domingo, and the people who were supposed to scuttle the boat were not allowed on board."The Cuban coffee caper", TIME Magazine, February 12, 1979.
Paul pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges. When his home was raided by the police in connection with this crime, they found cocaine in his garage, and Paul also pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for the cocaine charge, and a concurrent three years for fraud; he was paroled after three years. His license to practice law was suspended as a result of the convictions,"Clinton benefit has a lesson: Double-check that donor list", The New York Times, February 9, 2005, p. B1."Heroes wanted: Stan Lee Media struggles to stay afloat" , Animation World Magazine 5.11, February 2001. and he claims to have been sued by the Cuban government as well.His supporters cite Dean Witter Reynolds v Fernandez v McDonald & Paul, No 79-112 CIV-CA (S.D. Fla)
In 1983, Paul was caught traveling to Canada using the identity of a dead man;"Clinton Link to Fund-Raiser Adds Spice to Mundane Trial," Leslie Eaton, New York Times, May 11, 2005. he pleaded guilty to federal charges of making false statements to customs inspectors. This was a violation of his parole terms from the 1979 felonies, and he went back to prison.
Involvement in politics and the entertainment industry
After being released from federal prison in California, Paul moved to Los Angeles.
In 1985, Paul was appointed President of the California Bicentennial Foundation for the Constitution and Bill of Rights, a foundation designated by the California state legislature and governor to direct California's role in the Bicentennial celebration of the Constitution and Bill of Rights."Most Unconstitutional: Editorial", The Los Angeles Times, September 2, 1987.
In 1987, Paul's efforts on behalf of the Foundation were derided in the Los Angeles Times, in part because the commission was selling a book that described blacks using the slur "pickaninnies", and declared enslavers "the worst victims of slavery","We The People: The Selling of the Bicentennial," ABA Journal, September 1, 1987. and in part because Paul referred to the founding fathers of the United States as "39 sweaty old men arguing in Philadelphia", and his remark that most Californians weren't able to understand the 18th-century language in the constitution anyway."Selling the Constitution," Los Angeles Times, September 1, 1987, Metro p. 4.
In 1988, Chief Justice Warren Burger had commended Paul for his efforts in a letter that read in part, "We commend you for the many contributions you have made during the national commemoration of the Constitution's 200th anniversary.""Letter published in the tribute journal for the 2nd Annual Spirit of America Awards and Governor's Ball, Los Angeles, California, October 17, 1988""Hillary Returns Bucks to Ex-Felon" Lloyd Grove,The Washington Post, August 17, 2000.
Paul became a business manager for, or otherwise involved with several celebrities, including becoming manager for a time of romance-novel icon Fabio.
Hillary Clinton's senatorial campaign
Paul emerged in 2000 as the largest contributor to Senatorial candidate Hillary Clinton. Paul and his attorneys have at various times offered two explanations for this. First, that he was trying to attract her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, to serve on the board of Stan Lee Media after leaving office. Second, that he hoped to negotiate a pardon for his previous criminal convictions."The Golden Fleece; Aaron's Cash Cows", Vanity Fair, August 2003, page 160."Money, Politics and the Undoing of Stan Lee Media; A fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton triggered events that contributed to the Web firm's collapse. In the fallout, several may face prison terms", Los Angeles Times, July 20, 2003, p. C1. Paul produced the event in Los Angeles, days before the 2000 Democratic Convention began. The Hollywood Farewell Gala Salute to President William Jefferson Clinton featured prominent entertainers singing for the President, while raising over $1 million for Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign. The event cost $1.9 million to organize according to Paul and $500,000 according to the Federal Election Commission filing, much of it borrowed fraudulently by Paul from Merrill Lynch. Later indictments would state that Merrill Lynch lost about $5 million it had lent to Paul.
Two days after the gala, the Washington Post publicized Paul's criminal record, and Hillary Clinton denied knowing Paul and "vowed not to take any contributions from him". Through her spokesman, Howard Wolfson, Hillary stated on August 16, 2000, that she would return $2,000 she reported receiving from Paul in June 2000.
Paul alleged that Clinton was deceitful in this,Clintons' Fall Guy May Turn the Tables by Paul M. Rodriguez, Insight Magazine, October 16, 2003. and retained public interest law firm, and frequent Clinton opponent, Judicial Watch to represent him in a series of civil and criminal lawsuits against the Clintons, the Clinton campaign, and ultimately the Federal Election Commission (which he charged was negligent in failing to convict Mrs. Clinton).Paul appeared on ABC's 20/20 with allegations against Hillary Clinton"U.S. fugitive tied to Clintons caught in Brazil", The Washington Post, August 4, 2001, p. A12.FEC Litigation Release, "Judicial Watch Inc. and Peter F. Paul v. FEC (1:01CV02527)" , August 30, 2003. These charges were delayed, as courts held that Paul could not bring charges against the Clintons as he fought extradition from Brazil (to which he had fled in 2001 to escape Stan-Lee-Media-related criminal charges, see below),"Court upholds dismissal of fugitive's lawsuit against Clintons", Metropolitan News-Enterprise, December 12, 2002. but proceeded once he was returned to the States."Court allows suit against Clintons", San Francisco Chronicle, p. B2, October 21, 2004.
In March 2005, Paul had a falling out with his advocates at Judicial Watch. He accused them of using his name to raise more than $15 million from people who disliked the Clintons, while doing little to advance his case. He announced his plan to replace them with a "dream team" of Republican lawyers,"Battling the Clintons, and each other (Judicial Watch may tie up Peter F. Paul)", The New York Times, March 15, 2005, p. B3. and in February 2007, he filed suit against them, saying that they had taken advantage of him and that he was "not a big fan of their behavior"."Former Donor To Clinton Sues Judicial Watch", Josh Gerstein, New York Sun, February 8, 2007, p. 5.
Regardless, Paul's claims have not found traction. An audit by the Federal Elections Commission found that neither Senator Clinton nor her Senate campaign had accepted any illegal funds in connection with the Hollywood fundraiser,"Court says Hillary Clinton shouldn't be defendant in lawsuit", Greg Risling, Associated Press, October 16, 2007. though the campaign was asked to pay $35,000 in fines for having under-reported the cost of the party. MUR 5225 "In the Matter of New York Senate 2000 and Andrew Grossman, in his official capacity as treasurer, Conciliation Agreement", December 19, 2005. Paul's suit against the FEC was thrown out; his attempt to bring ethics charges against Clinton was rejected,"Ethics Committee Won't Hear Clinton Fund-Raising Case", The New York Sun, June 14, 2006, p. 4. and his fraud charges against Senator Clinton were tossed out in April 2006."White House 2008 — The Democrats", National Journal Group Hotline, April 10, 2006. Paul continued to press civil charges against Senator Clinton and former President Clinton for "looting""Producer accuses Clintons of 'looting'; Complaint will be heard today", Washington Times, September 25, 2006, page A01. his business, but the courts refused to allow him to sue Senator Clinton, with the appellate court specifying that her behavior had been "perfectly legal", and allowing her to recoup her legal fees from Paul. His charges against former President Clinton were tossed by Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz in December 2008, who ruled that Paul had waited too long to bring his claims.LA Judge Tosses Businessman’s Claims Against Bill Clinton December 4, 2008
Finding no luck in the courts, in 2007 Paul promoted a thirteen and a half minute video titled "Hillary Exposed: The Case of Paul v. Clinton," seeking to expose Senator Clinton. Her office responded "Peter Paul is a professional liar who has four separate criminal convictions, two for fraud. His video repackages a series of seven-year-old false claims about Senator Clinton that have already been rejected by the California state courts, the Justice Department, the Federal Election Commission, and the Senate Ethics Committee.""Anti-Clinton Video Draws Web Audience", Jim Kuhnhenn, Associated Press, October 30, 2007.
In January 2008, he re-filed his complaint with the FEC.,"Former Clinton Donor Files FEC Complaint Seeking Further Investigation Of 2000 Event", National Campaign News, January 8, 2008. seeking $41.9 million in damages."Clinton: Stand by Your (Wo)Man", The Hotline, September 26, 2006.
Involvement with Fabio
Peter F. Paul was the manager of Italian model, actor, and author Fabio Lanzoni, helping him achieve international recognition.
When they began working together, Paul "suggested building Fabio's career around [Fabio's] philosophy," packaging products that incorporate his romantic approach to health and fitness. In 1993, Lanzoni was working 17 to 18 hours a day, claiming he could count the number of days he had off that year.
In 1993, he published Fabio's biography, Fabio. It contains over 100 photographs, presumably of Fabio. Lanzoni included Paul in the dedication to his 1995 book Fabio Fitness, though Paul was terminated shortly thereafter.
Involvement with Stan Lee
Founding of Stan Lee Media, fraud, and flight