SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Federal authorities say former Illinois state Rep. Connie Howard has been sentenced to three months in prison for fraud.

The Chicago Democrat pleaded guilty in July 2013 to soliciting $76,700 for scholarships through a charity golf outing and pocketing about $28,000.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Springfield said Tuesday that after her release from prison, she’ll serve three months of home confinement. That’ll be the first part of a two-year supervised release term.

The 72-year-old was also ordered to pay restitution to two organizations: Nearly $16,000 to the Chicago Urban League and over $12,000 to the Black United Fund.

Authorities say only five scholarships totaling $12,500 were issued. The rest was pocketed for personal and political use.

Howard was an Illinois House member at the time of the allegations.

 

 

 

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