PHOENIX β A former state official who admitted stealing $5.9 million from Arizona's health care program for the poor has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Michael John Veit, the former chief procurement officer for the state's Medicaid program, also was ordered Monday to pay full restitution for the amount of the theft and to forfeit his state retirement benefits.
Veit apologized for his actions shortly before he was sentenced for his earlier guilty pleas to fraud and theft charges.
Prosecutors say Veit participated in a scheme in which payments submitted in the name of one of the agency's vendors ended up in the hands of the procurement officer, one of his associates and some of Veit's family members.
An associate of Veit still faces charges in the case.
