A federal judge has spared the founder of a Pittsburgh-based doughnut chain prison time for income tax violations, but not her scorn.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose told Ronald Razete his case wasn't about "accounting issues," but was instead fueled by "lying, cheating and greed."
Ambrose on Thursday nonetheless gave the 55-year-old ordained minister and founder of Peace, Love and Little Donuts five years' probation instead of up to 16 months in prison suggested by federal guidelines.
Razete pleaded guilty in June to underreporting his income in 2010 and then hiding the business from bankruptcy proceedings a year later. He's also repaying more than $40,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Ambrose says Razete can continue to employ people and grow his business by staying out of prison.
