BishopAccountability.org
	Former Top Cleveland Church Accountant Sentenced Ohio.com December 11, 2008 http://www.ohio.com/news/ap?articleID=1258429&c=y A federal judge has sentenced the former chief financial officer of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese to a year and a day in prison on tax charge convictions. Joseph H. Smith had been acquitted of more serious charges related to alleged kickbacks. U.S. District Judge Ann Aldrich did not determine restitution at the Thursday sentencing, but set a $200,000 to $400,000 range. The extra day in prison allows Smith to qualify for at least 56 days of good behavior credit and permits him to serve time in a federal institution rather than a local jail. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Siegel sought at least five years in prison for Smith and objected to the sentence. The prosecution portrayed Smith as a manipulator who arranged $785,000 in kickbacks and secret payments because he felt he was underpaid.
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