Because Those 58-year-old Ladies Who Owe Back Taxes Can Be Dangerous

Greg Anderson, who was Barry Bonds' personal trainer, has spent twice as much time in jail–14 months–than the four steroids dealers who were the alleged targets of the U.S. government's original BALCO steroids case. What did Anderson do that was twice as bad? Refuse to testify about his boss in front of a grand jury, where the Fifth Amendment doesn't apply so much.

With Bonds' federal trial for perjury and obstruction coming up next month, and with the overall price tag of the shaming exercise now reaching $55 million, the feds have been cranking up the pressure on Anderson to change his tune. Including, if you believe the New York Daily News, sending 20 federal agents last week into the home of Anderson's mother-in-law.

Federal prosectors have subpoenaed Barry Bonds' former trainer Greg Anderson, and Wednesday they raided the home of his mother-in-law in what appears to be an attempt to rachet up pressure on Anderson to testify in Bonds' upcoming trial for perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

Twenty agents from the FBI and IRS raided the home of Madeleine Gestas, who has been targeted by the feds for financial crimes. She is the mother of Anderson's wife, Nicole. […]

"The day after Greg was released, they sent a target letter to his wife," said [Anderson's attorney Mark] Geragos. "Almost 30 days before the trial, they now execute a search warrant at his mother-in-law's house. This is coming on the heels of a letter they wrote me two days ago, demanding to know whether or not he was contingent to testify. I'm ashamed of my government. Even the mafia spares the women and children. It's nothing more than cheap theatrics and frankly, disgusting tactics. It's blatant intimidation."

Link via Only Baseball Matters.