TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Theresa Schlosser left the federal court building in Downtown Tampa singing.
“Oh happy day,” Schlosser sang.
The Lee County resident stood next to Ocala resident Amparo Perales on Thursday after learning Leo Govoni will remain in jail through his trial.
Govoni was accused of draining millions from a special needs trust for the disabled that impacted close to 2,000 people.
Schlosser and Perales, both with special needs children, had to leave them in someone else’s care to appear before a judge, requesting that Govoni be denied bail. They had invested money in Govoni’s trust, which has now gone bankrupt, to support their adult children.
“It would’ve been terrible if he’s able to get out and still live that life with the money that he’s taking from us,” Perales said.
Recently released jail booking footage from Monday shows Govoni, 67, following his indictment by a federal grand jury on multiple fraud charges. The charges are the result of an investigation that began in January 2024.
Federal prosecutors said he obtained his first grand jury subpoena in April of that year.
Fast forward to Thursday, a judge denied his hopes of going home to his wife, who didn’t have any response following the hearing.
The federal judge referenced several factors in the decision to keep Govoni in custody: the number of alleged victims with special needs, the financial sum involved, and Govoni’s alleged obstruction of collection efforts during the bankruptcy proceedings, highlighting concerns over his alleged white-collar criminal activities.
“This is the first true sense of relief that any of us have because we know it’s going to take years to just get a dime back,” Schlosser said.
Collection efforts are underway following Govoni being found liable in bankruptcy court in January for taking millions from disabled people.
During the latest criminal proceeding, the judge said Govoni can appeal the ruling involving remaining in jail, but Paul Sisco, who represents the defendant, said it’s unclear if that will happen.
“The first step is I need to make a whether or not if I am going to be able to stay on this case as you know I entered a limited appearance on it and there’s consequences for business; my business,” Sisco said.
Govoni was taken away while in handcuffs and wearing his orange Pinellas County jail jumpsuit.
