Deed, Loan Fraudster’s 17.5-Year Murder-for-Hire Sentence Upheld

A man who pleaded guilty to trying to have witnesses murdered so they wouldn’t be able to testify against him on fraud charges lost his appeal challenging a more than 17-year prison sentence.

Alexander Leszczynski’s conduct after pleading guilty to trying to hire a hit man was inconsistent with owning responsibility for his actions, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit said Monday.

Leszczynski—who once forged a “full and unconditional pardon” purportedly signed by President Donald Trump to avoid consequences for his financial crimes—had argued he was entitled to a sentencing guidelines reduction for acceptance of responsibility.

After ...