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Former Oilers owner Pocklington sentenced to prison

Peter Pocklington

Former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington -- a.k.a. the man who traded Wayne Gretzky -- is going to prison for violating terms of his probation.

From CTV News:

On Friday morning, CTV News learned that Peter Pocklington, 71, had been sentenced to six months in jail, followed by six months of house arrest and two more years of probation.

On Monday in a Riverside, California Pocklington was found guilty of submitting an inaccurate monthly income report to his probation officer.

According to court documents obtained by CTV News, in 2011 and 2012, Pocklington was ordered to disclose his monthly income to a probation officer – but he didn’t share details about all the money he was making.

Investigators found Pocklington had millions of dollar worth in unreported income over both of those years – money that was kept in the bank accounts of resource companies he was involved with.

Why did it matter that Pocklington wasn’t accurately reporting his monthly income? Take it away, Canadian Press:

The case dates back to 2008, when Pocklington filed a bankruptcy claim stating he was virtually penniless, with less than $3,000 in the bank and liabilities approaching $20-million (U.S.). The following year, the FBI raided his home in Palm Desert, near Palm Springs, and put him under arrest.

He later admitted in court that he had declared bankruptcy without disclosing that he had control over bank accounts and storage facilities containing assets and property of his wife.

In 2010, Pocklington pleaded guilty to perjury for lying during previous bankruptcy proceedings. In exchange, charges of bankruptcy fraud were dropped.