2007-06-13 03:25:58 -

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (AP) - A former county treasurer in Michigan was ordered to prison for up to 14 years after stealing county funds and losing them in phony Nigerian investments.
Former Alcona County Treasurer Thomas Katona pleaded guilty in May to eight counts of embezzlement, two of forgery and one of attempted embezzlement. A

judge gave him the maximum legal punishment Tuesday on each count. He will serve from nine years and four months to 14 years.
Katona, 56, made a brief statement in court «indicating how sorry he was and praying for forgiveness,» said his attorney, Dan White. Katona will appeal, he said.

Katona was charged in January with siphoning money from an investment pool belonging to the rural county where he was treasurer, an elected post, from $1.2 million (¤900,000) in county funds, plus $72,500 (¤54,327) of his own money, by contributing to a notorious scam that generally asks people to pay up-front costs in exchange for a share of large sums purportedly being transferred out of Nigeria.