Eds: APNewsNow. Will be led.

NEW YORK (AP) A Connecticut businessman has been sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring with others to corrupt the oil privatization process in Azerbaijan.

Frederic Bourke of Greenwich, Conn., was sentenced in New York on Tuesday. A federal jury had convicted him in July of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and making false statements to the FBI.

America's special Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, testified on behalf of the 63-year-old businessman at trial. Bourke was acquitted of money laundering conspiracy.

He could have faced up to 10 years in prison, but Judge Shira Scheindlin (SHEER'-uh SHIND'-lin) cited his charitable works in the field of medicine. She also said she had concerns about the case, which produced little evidence to show bribes were actually paid.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-10-09 1625CST | save this article / add to your favorites list