Stan Lee Media (Spider-man) Co-Founder Pleads Guilty

Thanks to Poliblog for the link to this story about Peter Paul, Stan Lee Media's co-founder, who pleaded guilty to manipulating the stock of his now defunct company. A sentencing date has not yet been set, but Paul said he expects the judge to weigh the 43 months he spent in U.S. and Brazilian jails when deciding his sentence. Paul was arrested in Brazil in 2001. He said he had gone to Brazil for business, while prosecutors claimed he fled to avoid prison. He was extradited in 2003.

Paul faces more than 10 years in prison but said he has made no deal to cooperate with prosecutors in an unrelated investigation into alleged campaign finance violations by a member of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s staff.

Paul, who founded an online entertainment company with comic book legend Stan Lee, said he donated nearly $2 million to Sen. Clinton’s campaign after then-President Clinton promised to work for Stan Lee Media upon leaving office.

Paul said his sentencing would be delayed until after he litigates a civil lawsuit filed against Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, in connection with a star-studded Hollywood fund-raiser he threw for them in 2000.

The delay may also allow prosecutors to call him as a witness in the May trial of Sen. Clinton's finance director, David Rosen, who was charged with filing false reports about the Paul fund-raiser to the Federal Election Commission.