CHICAGO - A federal judge sentenced former Ohio deputy treasurer and Chicago comptroller Amer Ahmad to 15 years in prison for his role in kickback scandal involving state investment business at the Ohio treasurer's office.
Ahmad wasn't in court Tuesday to hear the sentencing, because he fled to Pakistan in April to avoid the charges. He's been arrested and jailed in Pakistan for carrying forged documents, including a false Mexican passport, a fake Pakistani birth certificate and a phony visa.
Last December, before he fled, Ahmad struck a plea agreement with federal prosecutors that included a guilty plea on two counts of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering.
U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson on Monday handed down the maximum sentence of 15 years for Ahmad's role as lead conspirator in the scheme.
Ahmad's attorney, Karl Schneider, told reporters his client would serve the sentence if he returns to the U.S. "It's a sad situation all around," he said, according to local reports.
A federal grand jury in August 2013 indicted Ahmad on allegations that he used his used his influence as deputy Ohio state treasurer to steer investment business to a firm with which he had close personal ties, which then funneled cash back to Ahmad and several alleged co-conspirators through "loans" and "fees."
Co-defendant Joseph Chiavaroli, a Chicago-based mortgage broker who also pleaded guilty, was sentenced Monday to 18 months. Two other co-conspirators, Douglas Hampton and Mohammed Noure Alo, were sentenced last month to 45 months and 48 months respectively, according to the Associated Press.
The Ohio treasurer's office manages the state's cash and oversees multi-billion-dollar investment portfolios. Ahmad was named chief financial officer of the office in 2008 by then Treasurer Kevin Boyce and in 2009 he also became deputy treasurer. The kickback schemes occurred between early 2009 and early 2011.
Ahmad left the treasurer's office in late 2010 after Kevin Boyce, a Democrat, lost his re-election bid to Republican Josh Mandel.
Ahmad then joined Cleveland-based KeyCorp as a senior vice president and head of its public sector group, which provides investment and banking services for governments, nonprofit and higher education clients.
In April 2011, newly elected Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel tapped Ahmad to serve as city comptroller, one of three key city finance positions along with chief financial officer and budget director. Ahmad abruptly resigned in July 2013.
