Bail bond siblings face continued scrutiny in Harris County meeting over ability to free jailed defendants

In the months since a Houston bail bondsman shamed a handful of bad actors in his industry to Commissioners Court, two of those individuals have lost their ability to write bonds for Harris County defendants. The bondsman in February identified the Muharib siblings — Sheba, Anthony and Wisam — of “doing things that they shouldn’t be doing.” Since that accusation, Sheba Muharib’s business, Aable Bail Bonds, has become the subject of a federal inquiry, and insurance companies tied to her two licenses have since cut ties. Her attorney brother, Anthony Muharib, was rejected for a new bail license after members of the Harris County Bail Bond Board found a pattern of unpaid judgments for bond forfeitures. Wisam Muharib, whose application for a new license was approved, is the only sibling who can continue writing bonds.

Crime victim advocates, disgruntled bail employees and curious bondsmen packed the hourslong meeting on Wednesday. Paul Castro, whose son was shot and killed in 2021 following an Astros game, encouraged the board to reject any license for a member of the Muharib family. He and others objected to the granting of a new license for Wisam Muharib because of his role in securing the release of the defendant, who went on to garner a second murder charge in the death of Precinct 3 Deputy Omar Ursin. The board members found little reason to reject his new license with a different insurance company. Michael Butera, representative for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and Kathryn Kase, legal counsel for County Judge Lina Hidalgo, opposed the license. The discussion into Anthony Muharib's license continued for more than a hour and reduced the bondsman to tears as he answered Butera’s questions and discussed the reason behind more than 200 late payments dating back to 2017 and his lack of knowledge in how his employees conduct business. His 5-year-old son was diagnosed in December 2019 with a terminal illness. He later died.