Tampa man accused of drowning rabbit has expensive crimes in his past
A man once embroiled in a $300 million Ponzi scheme masterminded by the creator of the Backstreet Boys and *NSync pop groups is facing criminal charges again.
This time, according to Hillsborough sheriff's deputies, Steve B. Rodd dropped a baby rabbit into a hotel pool and watched it drown.
Matt Saraswat, manager of Vista Inn, 400 Bearss Avenue E., said security footage on the morning of June 19 captured the scene.
"He walked up to the pool and dropped the rabbit in the pool," Saraswat said. "It hopped around a bit and swam to the center of the pool where it drowned."
Deputies say Rodd, 49, stood on the deck without trying to rescue the rabbit. He walked away once the rabbit went still, after about two minutes.
Rodd was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.
Four years ago, he was in the news for a crime of a very different variety, accused by federal authorities of selling more than $32 million worth of phony securities for Orlando music mogul and Ponzi schemer Lou Pearlman.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/sheriff-tampa-man-drowns-rabbit-in-hotel-pool/2234603
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