Martha Stewart, the celebrity homemaker who made a fortune from her own cooking and home decorating ideas, today was sentenced to five months in prison and two years probation for lying to Federal investigators.
U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum also ordered Stewart serve five months of house arrest and pay a $30,000 fine. Stewart is appealing the verdict and does not have to surrender until an appeal is decided, according to news reports.
Stewart was found guilty in March of conspiracy and making false statements stemming from her sale of stock in biotech firm ImClone Systems in December 2001. She’s been stripped of her position as chairman of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, a company she founded and took public five years ago.
During house arrest, Stewart will be able to stay at her posh home in Bedford, N.Y. During that time, she must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and remain in the house at all times except for employment activities, religious observances and medical appointments. For at least one day per week, she will not be permitted to leave under any circumstances.
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