The disgraced ex-mayor of Anaheim, California, Harry Sidhu, was busted in 2022 by the FBI for several alleged crimes uncovered during an investigation into an aborted "sweetheart" sale of the city's Angel Stadium to the city's Major League Baseball team of the same name.

Sidhu pleaded guilty in 2023 to four federal crimes that could have landed him behind bars for decades -- including wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and making false statements -- but on Friday was sentenced to serve just two months in jail and to pay a fine, Courthouse News Service reported.

The former mayor and city council member was accused of deleting emails that proved he'd provided the Angels organization with confidential information to improve their position during negotiations with the city on a potential sale, and that he later lied about expecting a $1 million contribution to his campaign from the team if the favorable terms for the sale were finalized.

Sentenced to just two months in jail

A Justice Department press release in August 2023 announced that Sidhu had agreed to plead guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, one count of wire fraud, and two counts of making false statements to the FBI and Federal Aviation Administration.

Had Sidhu fought those charges at trial, been convicted, and received maximum consecutive sentences for each count, he would have faced up to 40 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Instead, per Courthouse News, while federal prosecutors asked for an eight-month prison sentence and defense attorneys requested mere probation during Friday's sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John Holcomb ordered Sidhu to serve two months in jail and pay a $55,000 fine.

"I do believe the defendant did betray the trust of the city of Anaheim while he was serving as its mayor," Holcomb said at the hearing. "In view of Mr. Sidhu’s significant cooperation, admission of his guilt, his age, his health, I think that warrants a significant downward variance. I think it’s significant for anybody to be incarcerated for any time."

Multiple crimes committed

Per the DOJ's 2023 release, then-Mayor Sidhu was involved in the 2020 negotiations between the city of Anaheim and the Anaheim Angels about selling the leased stadium to the team, during which he secretly provided the team with an appraisal report and other confidential information that it could use to improve its negotiating position against the city and obtain the stadium at a price that was far less than its actual value.

An FBI investigation was quietly launched that succeeded in catching Sidhu on a recording expressing his belief that the Angels organization would donate $1 million to his re-election campaign in exchange for his assistance.

Investigators also found that Sidhu had deleted the incriminating email messages and, when confronted by agents, initially lied about his expectation of a donation from the team.

Also uncovered during the investigation was an unrelated crime committed by Sidhu related to his purchase of a helicopter, in which he defrauded the state of California and lied to the FAA by registering the aircraft in Arizona to avoid California's high taxes.

Defense attorney speaks out after sentencing

The Los Angeles Daily News reported that Sidhu showed no reaction to the sentence he received and made no comment after the hearing, though one of his defense lawyers did issue a statement.

"We appreciate the court’s thoughtful hearing and the government’s detailed investigation," attorney Paul Meyer said. "Harry has expressed his apology for his actions of email deletion, misstatements to the FBI and helicopter tax violations. Harry appreciates the broad outreach of support from those who know him well and respect his decades of public service."

The outlet noted that Sidhu, an immigrant from India who arrived in poverty in 1974 but became a highly successful engineer and restaurateur with dozens of fast-food franchises before entering politics, has until September 2 to turn himself in to begin serving his two-month sentence.