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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2010 > January > 06 > Entry
Ruscigno gets probation, fine
Joseph Ruscigno — former GOP operative and nightclub owner, and husband of former Butler County commission candidate Rawnica Dillingham — was sentenced to two years probation and a $2,500 fine in federal court in Cincinnati this morning.
Ruscigno pleaded guilty in April to federal tax obstruction charges. He admitted to fudging the books of West Chester Twp.-based court reporting business Fitch Reporting Inc., to justify lowering weekly payments of back taxes to the IRS. Read more background on the case below.
U.S. Judge Herman Weber said in court today that the charges carry a maximum sentence that includes three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
But, because Ruscigno pleaded guilty to his crimes and cooperated with federal prosecutors “in prosecution of other defendants,” the judge said he lowered the sentence.
He did not say who those other defendants were.
When asked if Ruscigno had any statement to make, he quietly said he was 60-years-old and never been in trouble before. “I’m just terribly, terribly sorry this incident happened,” he said.
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Comments
By null
January 6, 2010 7:40 PM | Link to this
Never been in trouble, huh? Wasn’t his wife just popped a while ago having strippers at her bar? Oh, but that wasn’t him, that’s right. He probably rolled over on his buddy Mike Fox and that’s what got him out of trouble, this time.
By JMB
January 7, 2010 8:44 AM | Link to this
Ruscigno has always been a wannabee power broker and is harmless to others. Mike Fox is also a wannabee power broker who is a criminal and is not harmless. Fox used his power to control others for his benefit without regard for the law. Now he must pay for his transgressions just. Shameful but true.
By Flo
January 7, 2010 9:48 AM | Link to this
There must be another chapter to this story. If Joe got off this light he surely must have had some good stuff on some big name people. Just wait, more indictments are coming.
By Kim
March 9, 2010 1:30 PM | Link to this
First time in trouble??! I have a debtor judgement against him that was handed down long before Jan. ‘10.