Corey Leshner got two years after originally accepting a deal that would have jailed fim for five years
CAMDEN -- A former lawyer who worked for a Philadelphia mob family that forcefully took control of a financial services company while defrauding it out of millions was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison, authorities said.
Cory Leshner, 33, originally accepted a plea bargain that would have sent him to prison for five years, but a judge sitting in Camden decided to give the West Reading, Pa. man a lighter punishment, according to Philly.com.
Leshner was part of a conspiracy to steal about $14 million from Texas-based FirstPlus Financial Group and used the money to buy luxury cars, a yacht and other expensive gifts.
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The receipt of the fraudulent proceeds often occurred in the form of wire transfers from accounts in Pennsylvania to accounts in New Jersey, the U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey said in a news release. The company eventually went bankrupt.
In 2011, Leshner was one of 13 charged with racketeering and other offenses. The Lucchese La Cosa Nostra crime family used threats of violence, replaced the board of directors and put its own people in charge, prosecutors have said.
Leshner testified against the others in 2014. He won't have to report to prison until Feb. 2. -- after his wife delivers the couple's second child, Philly.com said. U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler called Leshner a "good person" in handing out the sentence.
The heads of the operation have already been sentenced. Nicodemo S. Scarfo and Salvator Pelullo received 30 years in prison. William Maxwell got 20 years in prison and John Maxwell 10.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.