Federal Judge Sends Former Missouri Speaker John Diehl to Prison Over Pandemic Loans
Former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after admitting he fraudulently obtained COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.
The case centers on loans issued through federal relief programs designed to help struggling businesses survive shutdowns during the pandemic.
According to federal prosecutors and reporting from USA Today and the Missouri Independent, Diehl used false information to secure relief money tied to the Paycheck Protection Program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Authorities said the loans were approved based on misleading claims about business operations and payroll.
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The prosecution was led by the U.S. Department of Justice, which has pursued hundreds of pandemic-fraud cases across the country since 2020.
Diehl, once one of the most powerful lawmakers in Missouri before resigning in 2015 amid an unrelated scandal, had previously pleaded guilty to the fraud charge.
His sentencing adds another high-profile conviction tied to misuse of pandemic aid.
Federal officials say enforcement actions tied to COVID-relief fraud are still ongoing nationwide.
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