Former official sentenced in Southern California VA swindle

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former contracting official for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Los Angeles has been sentenced to five months in prison for lying to investigators when he denied taking bribes as part of a $13 million fraud scheme.

City News Service reports Monday that Frank Tillman will also serve five months home detention.

Tillman pleaded guilty in February to tax charges and lying to investigators when he denied accepting bribes from a parking lot operator at the VA’s medical center campus.

The lot operator, Richard Scott, was sentenced in August to six years in prison for conspiracy and wire fraud. Scott was ordered to pay the VA $12.6 million in restitution.

Tillman admitted taking $290,000 in hush money. He was ordered to pay $62,000 in restitution to the IRS.