Former LA PR Executive Must Begin Prison Term

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former executive for an international public relations firm must begin serving his prison sentence after an appeals court refused to overturn his conviction for defrauding Los Angeles taxpayers.

An attorney for 61-year-old Douglas Dowie tells the Los Angeles Times Friday that the former head of the LA office of Fleishman-Hillard Inc. will begin serving the 3 1/2-year term in federal prison next month.

Dowie was convicted in 2006 of conspiracy and wire fraud for padding consulting bills to the city Department of Water and Power and other clients for more than $500,000 from 2000 to 2003.

The firm paid the city $6 million in 2004 to settle a related lawsuit.

Dowie's former aide, John Stodder Jr., was sentenced to one year and three months in prison. His appeal is pending.

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