Judge denies former San Francisco real estate investor bail for third time

A federal judge denied Luke Brugnara's third bail request Wednesday, ruling that a $350,000 secured bond — funded not by Brugnara but by his landlord and proposed custodian — wasn't enough to guarantee he'd show up to court. Judge Maxine Chesney noted that money belonging to someone else offers far less deterrent than a defendant's own funds, and pointed to Brugnara's history: he skipped a February bond revocation hearing entirely and was apprehended by marshals in July after fleeing and climbing onto a church roof.

Brugnara, 62, faces nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering over an alleged pandemic-relief fraud scheme that netted his company more than $400,000. He repeatedly interrupted the hearing insisting on his presumption of innocence, was twice ordered out of the courtroom, and demanded to represent himself and get a trial date within the week. Chesney scheduled a hearing for Aug. 26 to consider his self-representation request, warning that continued outbursts would end that plan.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.