ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — One of the suspects accused in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme will be allowed to travel the world.
Shastine Pavao and her parents, John and Debra, were first arrested in 2008, accused of tricking families out of their homes. Now, while she's out on bond, Shastine can globe-trot.
At one point, a judge considered the charges against John, Debra and Shastine Pavao so serious he set bond at a million dollars. But the family of three, accused of massive mortgage fraud across Central Florida, got their bonds reduced and got out of jail.
Now, 23-year-old Shastine will get to travel the world before she goes to trial on 12 felony charges, including theft and conspiracy to commit racketeering.
In her motion to the court, Shastine requested travel including, but not limited to, South Africa, the Congo, Angola, Switzerland, Paris and Spain. The worldwide trip was expected to last six to seven weeks.
Pavao said the travel would be "to complete education and training," but didn't get any more specific than that.
In earlier hearings, the Pavaos asked for lower bonds, because they said they were broke and out of work.
It's not clear how Shastine's international trip is being paid for and, while her attorney wasn't available for comment on this story, he insisted his client was prepared to face the charges against her when WFTV talked to him a year ago.
"Is your client a flight risk?" WFTV asked the attorney.
"No. I have her passport. She's not going anywhere," he said.
The judge decided Shastine can now get that passport back next month when she checks in with her bail bondsman. She'll then be allowed to travel to South Africa and Switzerland, returning in August.
Friday afternoon, the judge told WFTV he couldn't talk about his decision to let Pavao travel out of the country because the case is ongoing.
WFTV
