The sentence handed down by Judge David Gass was 12 years longer than that recommended by prosecutors. According to a press release issued by Bill Montgomery, Maricopa, Ariz., county attorney, Wise's action caused lasting harm to six clients who trusted him. Press reports say Wise, now 57, blamed employees and business associates for the losses.

That included Dr. Arthur Kreitenberg, a childhood friend and client of 25 years, who hired Wise to prepare his 2006 and 2007 tax returns. Wise told Kreitenberg who had filed the returns and paid about $270,000 to the IRS and asked the client to reimburse him. Kreitenberg found later the payments had not been made and that he owed more than $400,000 in taxes, penalties and interest. The family paid more than $480,000 to settlement the issues with the IRS.

Kreitenberg testified he believed Wise was hiding money, even those the accountant had filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009.

Wise also stole $480,000 from Sean and Elissa Gillespie and it took two years for that couple to resolve penalties assessed by the IRS. Another $35,000 last lost by Francesco and Hillary Chierici, and $110,000 by Carl and Laurie Farless, two couples who were identified as being related to Wise. The county attorney said Wise continued to bill clients while stealing their money.

Wise had already been fined $5.7 million by the Arizona Corporation Commission and ordered to pay $67 million in restitution of victims of a Ponzi scheme two days before his May 22, 2009 arrest in the criminal case. His CPA license had been revoked in December 2008 by the Arizona Accountancy Board.