ST. LOUIS, Mo.—Former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and a $50,000 fine Monday after admitting last fall to pandemic loan fraud.
In September, Diehl entered a guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. He was accused of defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration out of $379,900 when he obtained a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan for his law firm.
Prosecutors say he used the money to pay for country club dues, vehicles, personal credit cards, a home mortgage and a family member’s college tuition, among other expenses…