US EditionFormer Missouri House speaker sentenced to prison for COVID relief fraud
Diehl misused $380,000 in COVID relief loans for personal expenses and law firm benefits, receiving a $50,000 fine along with his 21-month prison sentence.
- On Monday, former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after pleading guilty last year to misusing federal COVID-19 relief loans.
- Diehl, a St. Louis-area attorney, obtained about $380,000 in federal loans for his law firm between 2020 and 2022 through an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and a loan modification acquired by false representations.
- Prosecutors said he used more than half the funds to fund a defined benefit plan and paid for personal expenses including country club dues, pool maintenance, mortgage payments, and a Tesla, Audi, and Jeep.
- The court also imposed a $50,000 fine and allowed Diehl to report to prison at a later date after his attorneys asked last month to avoid incarceration, citing repayment to the SBA, while prosecutors pushed for prison and argued repayment shouldn't warrant leniency.
- Prosecutors framed Diehl's misconduct, citing his past privileges and public office, and said 'he knew better than to engage in the charged fraud scheme'.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Missouri Independent
Leader PublicationsEx-Missouri House Speaker John Diehl sentenced to federal prison for COVID fraud
John Diehl during his time in the Missouri House of Representatives (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications). Former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison Monday after pleading guilty last year to misusing federal loans meant to help businesses withstand the COVID-19 pandemic. Diehl, a St. Louis-area attorney, admitted defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration out of $379,900 through an Economic…
Former Missouri Speaker Headed to Prison
Former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl (R), who resigned from office a decade ago after he admitted to sending sexually explicit messages to a House intern, is now headed to federal prison for using pandemic loan money for personal expenses, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
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