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Former anchor indicted

T

TheRob

The old thread is closed due to inactivity, but you can read it for the background. https://radiodiscussions.com/thread...sband-blueacorn-ppp-facilitated-fraud.757060/

The federal indictment was handed up this past Friday. Hockridge faces five counts of wire fraud and conspiracy.

www.azfamily.com

Former Phoenix news anchor indicted in pandemic-related fraud scheme

A former Phoenix television news anchor and her husband has been indicted on wire fraud charges in connection to fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
www.azfamily.com www.azfamily.com
www.fox10phoenix.com

Former ABC 15 anchor Stephanie Hockridge and her husband due in court for alleged PPP fraud scheme

Stephanie Hockridge, a former anchor at ABC 15 in Phoenix, and her husband Nathan Reis, are accused of submitting false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
www.fox10phoenix.com www.fox10phoenix.com
 
radiofan2023 said:
She used to go to events in the Quad Cities where she started out and was always nice there.
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For a long time, she was perfectly fine at Channel 10, and (IIRC) Channel 12 before that. But something must have snapped a few years back, and she started giving her opinion on stories she read. She should have kept her pie-hole shut, and that's why she finally got fired. We all have opinions, but journalists are supposed to keep them to themselves, at least on the air.

Frankly, I believe she needs serious help, and I hope her family can make that happen. Her political career is now over, as likely is her broadcasting career. That is, unless Fox Noise (or worse) hires her.
 
I remember Stephanie Hockridge when she was a student at University of Missouri School of Journalism. She was part of a star-studded class that included Marie Saavedra (who was also in Phoenix for several years and is in Chicago now) and Kris Budden (now with ESPN). She and Kris got hired by the Charlottesville NewsPlex out of college while Saavedra went to KYTV in Springfield before going to Phoenix.

Sad to see that she went down the path she has. She didn't seem quite as good as Saavedra, but she was really talented.
 
The trial started yesterday. I do not believe there will be an acquittal. I'm still trying to figure out the classic question, "what was she thinking?"
 
nbreen said:
The trial started yesterday. I do not believe there will be an acquittal. I'm still trying to figure out the classic question, "what was she thinking?"
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Keep us posted. I haven't lived in Dallas in almost 30 years. I also have several friends who went on to work in radio and TV in Charlottesville and are tight with Stephanie.
 
Kent said:
Keep us posted. I haven't lived in Dallas in almost 30 years. I also have several friends who went on to work in radio and TV in Charlottesville and are tight with Stephanie.
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You do not need me for updates. ABC15 has Melissa Blasius covering it each night. Apparently her parents even took out 60K in PPP loans. What is going to sink her ship are the emails they have of hers. I am rather confused about why these trials are happening in Ft. Worth as opposed to locally. All in all, if I were an aspiring young person and looking to make a buck, I'd write up a movie proposal and sell the saga to Lifetime. It even has had some of the dramatic elements, such as her running out of the courtroom sobbing when Nate's arrest was discussed.
 
According to AZCentral.com, "a jury found Hockridge guilty of conspiring to commit wire fraud but not guilty of four counts of wire fraud. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison."

It appears that she threw her spouse (Nathan Reis) under the bus though. He apparently kept her "in the dark" about the things he did in this particular case. His trial commences in August and faces the exact same charges as Hockridge.
 
The Media Observer said:
According to AZCentral.com, "a jury found Hockridge guilty of conspiring to commit wire fraud but not guilty of four counts of wire fraud. She faces a maximum of 20 years in prison."

It appears that she threw her spouse (Nathan Reis) under the bus though. He apparently kept her "in the dark" about the things he did in this particular case. His trial commences in August and faces the exact same charges as Hockridge.
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Sounds like there is plenty of blame to go around! I guess we'll see when her husband's trial is underway.
 
TheRob said:
Her sentence is ten years in federal prison and $64 million in restitution.

www.abc15.com

Ex-news anchor sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy charge

Hockridge, who worked as an ABC15 news anchor from 2011 to 2018, was acquitted of four counts of wire fraud but convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June 2025.
www.abc15.com www.abc15.com
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Not that I have much sympathy for her, but that seems like an usually harsh sentence for a white collar crime. Elizabeth Holmes stole a lot more from a lot more people, needlessly panicked people with wrong diagnoses, and got roughly the same sentence.
 
Kent said:
Not that I have much sympathy for her, but that seems like an usually harsh sentence for a white collar crime. Elizabeth Holmes stole a lot more from a lot more people, needlessly panicked people with wrong diagnoses, and got roughly the same sentence.
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Another article stated that her lawyer requested she be held in the same "club fed" prison as Holmes. She doesn't have to surrender until December 30.
 
Kent said:
Not that I have much sympathy for her, but that seems like an usually harsh sentence for a white collar crime. Elizabeth Holmes stole a lot more from a lot more people, needlessly panicked people with wrong diagnoses, and got roughly the same sentence.
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It was all up to the judge and judges can't use comparisons like that when determining sentences.
 
PTBoardOp93 said:
Based on the headline, was half expecting this to be Kari Lake
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THIS comment aged really well. I'd expect it to be her now more than ever given what shes done to the VOA
 
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TheRob said:
Another article stated that her lawyer requested she be held in the same "club fed" prison as Holmes. She doesn't have to surrender until December 30.
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Replying to myself to add the sentences could also be staggered because a child is in the mix now (probably intentionally timed on their part). If her husband receives the same ten-year sentence, one of them, likely her, would stay free to raise the child and serve the sentence later. But a pardon or commutation could wipe it all away in the next three years, though.
 


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