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Prominent San Diego "businesswoman" Gina Champion-Cain, who pleaded guilty in June 2020 to securities fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice for defrauding investors out of $400 million through a liquor-license loan funding program, learned her fate on Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Larry Alan Burns sentenced Champion-Cain to 15 years in prison -- the maximum sentence -- at the federal building on Front Street in downtown San Diego.
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"During the hearing, several victims spoke to the judge," said Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Galvin outside court on Wednesday. "Nearly 500 victims poured over $350 million into Champion-Cain's sham investment scheme. Ms. Champion-Cain did not use the money to finance liquor-license transactions, as she told investors. Rather, she used tens of millions of dollars to line her own pockets and to support her failing Patio restaurants and other retail businesses."