Man gets nearly 22 years for $60M film finance fraud scheme

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — An Oklahoma man claiming to be a film financier has been sentenced in Florida to nearly 22 years in federal prison for participating in a scheme to steal more than $60 million from investors and producers seeking financing for movies and Broadway shows. Court records show Jason Van Eman was sentenced Thursday in Fort Lauderdale federal court. A jury found him guilty in May of conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors say Van Eman and a co-defendant offered to help investors and producers fund motion pictures, theater performances and other projects but instead stole the victims’ money.