Free Republic

A businessman was sentenced Monday to 4 1/2 years in federal prison for a pair of schemes, including one that authorities said involved wiretapping by Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano. Daniel Nicherie, 46, pleaded guilty in December to one count of aiding and abetting, admitting in federal court that he authorized Pellicano to intercept phone conversations pertaining to a business dispute. Prosecutors said Nicherie paid Pellicano $160,000 and listened to the intercepted conversations at the detective's office. Nicherie also pleaded guilty to wire fraud, pension fraud and money laundering charges in a separate case in which he was accused of...

A businessman pleaded guilty Tuesday to aiding and abetting charges linked to the wiretapping case against one-time private eye to the stars Anthony Pellicano. Daniel Nicherie, 46, was the seventh defendant to plead guilty in connection with sweeping allegations of a conspiracy involving wiretapping and digging up dirt on people, including celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone. Nicherie admitted in federal court that he authorized Pellicano to intercept the telephone conversations of a man he was in a business dispute with. Prosecutors alleged that Nicherie listened to the intercepted conversations and translated those talks at Pellicano's office. Under a deal with...