US Fidelis co-founder sentenced on Mo. charges

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) - The co-founder of a defunct St. Louis-area auto service contract seller has been sentenced to four years in prison on state fraud and stealing charges.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/TSV4N9) that Cory Atkinson, former vice president of Wentzville-based US Fidelis was sentenced Friday.

Atkinson was also sentenced last week to 40 months in prison on federal charges of tax fraud conspiracy and tax fraud. Atkinson pleaded guilty earlier, and also has to pay about $4.5 million in back taxes in the federal case.

His brother, company co-founder Darain Atkinson, pleaded guilty to similar federal and state charges in April and was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to eight years in prison. He faces sentencing Monday on the state charges.

Prosecutors say the Atkinsons used company funds for personal expenses.