According to FBI officials, Former Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Benjamin W. Richardson has been sentenced to 50 months in prison for multiple charges including mortgage and bankruptcy fraud. He was also charged for tampering with a witness that was part of a federal investigation. In regards to the mortgage fraud charges, Richardson was ordered to pay lenders just over $600,000 in restitution.In part of the mortgage fraud conspiracy, Richardson misled mortgage lenders while buying and selling investment properties. He also defrauded lenders when it came to refinancing his home. He along with co-conspirators used false documentation that would lead to Richardson obtaining large sums of cash after a loan would close. Bankruptcy fraud charges stem from Richardson failing to report 2007 income received when he filed his petition. The income supposedly came from a nightclub he co-owned with drug trafficker.
Earlier this year, Richardson plead guilty on all charges including 2 counts of false statements and false oaths in bankruptcy, a count in conspiracy to commit wire fraud, along with 4 additional wire fraud counts. He was also charged with witness tampering in connection with the narcotics trafficker in which he tried to prevent the witness from talking with law officials while an investigation was pending. Along with 50 months imprisonment, for each of his 8 counts he’ll serve a 3 year supervised release. Richardson also persuaded a fellow state trooper to go easy on the drug trafficker during a traffic stop; the drug trafficker had Richardson’s contact information in case he got in trouble.