Former Chicago city comptroller Amer Ahmad apologized to a federal judge in Ohio Friday for his crimes as he returned to face 15 years in prison for corruption.
Ahmad, convicted in a case stemming from his tenure as Ohio’s deputy state treasurer, appeared frail when he appeared before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
“Mr. Ahmad, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” said Watson, who ordered the father of three to begin his sentence and also to pay $3.2 million in restitution to the federal government.
Ahmad made a brief statement in court, expressing his “sincere remorse for this entire terrible chapter in my life.
“What I did was wrong,” said Ahmad, who was once a rising star in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration.
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He also apologized to his parents, his children and Kevin Boyce, the Ohio state treasurer for whom he had worked.
Nine months ago, Ahmad, 40, was sentenced in absentia for his role in a kickback scheme in the state treasurer’s office in Ohio.
Ahmad had pleaded guilty in 2013 but while free on bail pending his sentencing fled to Pakistan in the spring of 2014. He was flown back to the United States Wednesday after dropping his fight against being extradited.
Ahmad told Watson he’s grateful to be back in this country, the Dispatch reported.
When Ahmad turned around to see his parents, he started to cry.
“Please stick with me. I’ll make you proud once again,” he told them.
