Bond Broker In Shoffner Trial Made $2.5 Million In Commissions

As the prosecution rested its case, testimony in federal court disclosed that Steele Stephens, the bond broker who allegedly bribed former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner with $36,000, made $2.5 million in commissions from his state business.

From Elicia Dover with our content partner, Channel 7 News:

The state of Arkansas rested Monday after trying to make the case that former Arkansas treasurer Martha Shoffner participated in extortion and bribery. The defense will call witnesses Tuesday.

It was revealed in court that former bond broker Steele Stephens, who worked with the FBI to bring charges to Shoffner, made $2.5 million dollars in commissions from doing business with the state.

Shoffner is accused of taking $36,000 from Stephens. The state is arguing in turn, Stephen’s company did more than double the amount of business with Stephen’s company than any other broker, at the direction of Shoffner, according to her former employees who testified against her.

Stephens was asked by the prosecution on Monday if the payments got him influence, to which he replied, “I’m sure it did.”

You can read and watch video of Dover’s report at this link.