Government seeks light sentence for Petters aide

Prosecutors are seeking a light sentence for the woman who blew the whistle on Minnesota businessman Tom Petters' alleged $3.7 billion Ponzi scheme.

In court filings Monday, prosecutors say Deanna Coleman's assistance was critical to ending the fraud and bringing the participants to justice.

She faces a maximum of five years in prison when she's sentenced Sept. 2. But prosecutors are arguing for an unspecified lesser sentence that visibly rewards her for her efforts and encourages other potential whistleblowers to come forward.

Coleman's attorney asks the court in a separate filing Monday to spare her from any prison time. Allan Caplan says her cooperation was unprecedented, so she's earned an equally unprecedented sentence.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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