PHOENIX — A court has ordered former U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi of Arizona to start serving a three-year sentence for corruption, money laundering and other convictions.
Renzi previously succeeded in postponing the start of his sentence, but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals now says he must report to prison Friday.
He was convicted of conspiring to use his government post to make companies buy his ex-business associate’s land so the associate could repay a debt to Renzi.
The Republican served in Congress from 2003 until 2009.
Prosecutors say Renzi looted a family insurance business to help pay for a campaign, but he wasn’t convicted of illegally using the firm’s money.
His jury, however, found he filed a false statement after failing to use premiums collected from nonprofit groups to buy policies.
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