TAMPA - The owner of an upscale New Tampa spa was sentenced to 30 years in prison last week in Chicago on charges that he defrauded more than 300 investors out of millions of dollars and used the money to maintain his lavish lifestyle.
U.S. District Court Judge James Holderman also ordered Michael Murphy, 45, to pay $15.3-million in restitution to the victims.
Some of the victims may never receive the entire amount owed them, according to Randall Samborn, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago. Much of the money will come from assets the government ordered Murphy to forfeit last month.
Samborn said the value of those assets "probably doesn't come close to what the victims suffered."
Spa Malia closed in February, leaving customers who never had a chance to use gift certificates they had. In October, Joseph Caetano, the owner of two Bostonian Hair Studio locations in New Tampa, purchased the property where the spa was housed.
Michael J. Petro, Murphy's attorney, said he will appeal.
