Barry Minkow, who conjured up a carpet cleaning company that cleaned investors out of more than $100 million, got the maximum sentence from a judge who said he wasn't buying the young entrepreneur's apologies.
Before ordering a 25-year prison term and restitution of $26 million, U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian compared Minkow's new-found remorse to "spreading toro poo-poo across the court."Tevrizian issued the sentence Monday for Minkow's Dec. 14 conviction on 57 counts of securities, credit card and mail fraud.
Minkow, 23, founder of the now-defunct ZZZZ Best carpet cleaning company, used the sentencing hearing to tell the court how grateful he was that justice prevailed.
"This is a great day for this country," said Minkow. "This is a great day for justice. This is how America works."