A Westside parking lot operator was sentenced Monday to nearly six years behind bars for swindling the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs out of at least $12 million and bribing a federal official to keep the long-running scheme secret.
Richard Scott, 58, of Santa Monica was given a 70-month federal prison term on the conspiracy and wire fraud counts to which he pleaded guilty in May. As part of his plea agreement, Scott and his wife agreed to forfeit all of their ill-gotten assets, estimated at a value of about $8 million, and he has agreed to pay $12.6 million in restitution, a figure that takes into account some money already repaid to the VA.
“Your honor, I made terrible decisions — decisions I’m ashamed of,” Scott told the court, adding apologies to his family and the VA.
Click here to read the full article.