Lou Pearlman got the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison this morning for carrying out one of the largest investment frauds in Florida history. But in federal court in Orlando, U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp added one caveat: For each $1-million the former music mogul returns to victims, he'll take one month off the sentence.
Pearlman, who achieved fame promoting *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys and other boy bands, has admitted stealing more than $300-million from banks and investors, many of them retirees who trusted him with their life savings. The grand total could be $500-million or more, based on claims filed in bankruptcy court.
During the sentencing hearing, Pearlman said, "I'm truly sorry and I apologize for what has happened." His lawyer, Fletcher Peacock, said Pearlman never intended to steal the money. "He always thought he could pay people back."
Margie Colucci, 49, of Seminole lost $200,000 to Pearlman's fraud scheme and said she didn't expect to get any money returned. But she was pleased with the judge's ruling. "It was very creative on his part," she said.
Pearlman's entertainment empire once included television shows, a record company, recording studio, restaurants and the Church Street Station complex in downtown Orlando. Everything began falling apart in late 2006 as he ran out of money to keep his Ponzi scheme afloat. He fled the country in January and was arrested last June in Indonesia, where he was traveling under the name A. Icognito Johnson. In March he pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to defraud banks and investors, money laundering and submitting a false claim in bankruptcy court.
For more on Lou Pearlman, see the Times' special report.
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