Thomas Middelhoff, former chief executive of German media giant Bertelsmann and distribution giant Arcandor, was jailed for three years by a court today for tax evasion and fraud.
The regional court in Essen handed down a slightly shorter sentence than prosecutors had been calling for.
The prison term is too hefty to qualify to be suspended.
However, Middelhoff, 61, can appeal the sentence.
The former CEO was founded guilty on 27 counts of defrauding his former employer Arcandor, now bankrupt, of an estimated 800,000 euros (USD 997,000).
