Pascal Mahvi, a wealthy Geauga County businessman and developer, showed no remorse for defrauding taxpayers of thousands of dollars in food stamps.
In turn, Common Pleas Judge Forrest Burt handed out a 30-day jail sentence to the so-called "Food Stamp Millionaire."
Prosecutor James Flaiz noted the lack of remorse as well, and asked for jail time.
The sentence came down Friday, a month after Mahvi was convicted of two welfare fraud-related charges. The judge ordered Mahvi, 66, to report to the county jail Nov. 4.
Mahvi was also sentenced to three years probation and fined $2,750.
The son of an Iranian prince, Mahvi has boasted of amassing great wealth during his life. He owns undeveloped property in St. Lucia worth tens of millions of dollars. His Russell Township home, with a horse stable and in-ground pool, is valued at about $800,000. His family owns three luxury cars.
Yet, he claimed, his wealth was now a mirage. And he found himself destitute following the 2008 stock market crash. His home and St. Lucia property are heavily mortgaged and essentially worthless, he said. His cars, he added, are old, high-mileage sedans.
It was shortly afterward that Mahvi applied for and received food stamps and other welfare benefits for his wife and three adult children. He said the million dollars that prosecutors say flowed through his family bank accounts, was erroneous. Some money, he said, came from loans from friends.
Prosecutors, however, allege he failed to report his wealth when applying for the benefits. He received about $8,300 in food stamps over a two-year span ending in 2016.
In court Friday, Mahvi blamed prosecutors and Channel 3 News investigative reporter Tom Meyer for creating what he called false allegations.
Afterward, he was terse.
"I have no comment," he told Channel 3 News.
Asked if he was surprised by his jail sentence, he said, "Yes. Luxury cars?"
WKYC streamed today's sentencing proceedings live on Facebook.