S. Illinois woman gets 2 years probation in fraud case

EAST ST. LOUIS. -- A southern Illinois woman has been sentenced to two years probation for her role in a federal bankruptcy fraud case.

U.S. District Judge G. Patrick Murphy also ordered 64-year-old Margaret Diekemper to stay away from her husband, Joseph, and to pay a $500 fine and $100 special assessment.

Margaret Diekemper, who lives in Carlyle, pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in November. Her husband pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud and perjury.

The couple are accused of hiding an expensive tractor from creditors by taking it to the rental property of George Weedon. Weedon and his wife turned up dead in April 2007, two days after Weedon approached the FBI about the tractor.

No one has been charged in the murders.