Former Stanford Law grad, Cristina Schultz—now Christina Wharten through her marriage to AskJeeves.com co-founder David Warthen—was indicted yesterday by the Feds for failing to pay taxes on $133,717 which she allegedly earned as a prostitute in 2003.

Schultz had advertised her interstate prostitution services using her stage name "Brazil" (her place of origin) in which she offered various different rates depending on the duration, anything from the basic minimum rate of $1,200 for a quickie, $5,000 for a sleep-over and up to $15,000 for a three-day special.

These are better rates than even those of a senior partner at a top San Francisco legal office. Given that she is bright academically, enough to get into Stanford Law, one does have to question her savvy, given that Ms Schultz was making mucho bucks after hours to cover her tuition costs, she was still dumb enough to brag about how much money she was making. So much so that she declared that she paid off her college loans from her lucrative 'business' for "High Dollar Hotties" in 2003 as seen in a posting 'new found freedom after giving up law.'

One only hopes that she at least paid a modicum of attention during the classes at Stanford, as she will likely need to draw upon some pretty creative legal maneuvering when she is up before the Judge in a couple of weeks.

Since marrying the AskJeeves.com founder and moving to the bucolic hills of Orinda, Mrs Warthen has given up her high-end call-girl business, but I guess it is perhaps a little clearer as to how they met in the first place.

Personally, I have no problem with prostitution, per se. Not that I would ever indulge you understand, at least not knowingly, but IMO consenting adults should be able to do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone and there is a binding contractual agreement. If she can charge more per hour than a top SF attorney, then more power to her.

In fact, I think the oldest trade should be legal and regulated, who knows it may even be a another way to increase the nations slumping GDP, especially now with the current financial markets enjoying anything but a 'happy ending.' We could certainly do with the much needed tax revenues, it could even help supplementing the Wall Street bailout.

The previous civil case against Schultz, led by the Department of Justice was dropped in 2006 after IRS agents seized $61,171 and evidence from her apartment. The government reached a settlement, and she was never criminally charged. I guess that aspect was never part of the deal.

What is amazing to me everyone knows avoiding taxes was how the Feds caught up with old Al Capone. One would think that a Stanford law grad would have remembered such a famous case.

Mrs Warthen — who in May 2004 married David Warthen— is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lloyd in San Jose. If convicted, the maximum penalty for tax evasion is five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

At least now with her husband's resources she should be able to pay the fine. Maybe the initial 'investment' was worth it after all.

Strictly for historical reference purposes, as it is no longer active, here is her archived 'escort' site:   Cristina Schultz website