A Prairieville man pleaded guilty in Baton Rouge federal court to a charge of mail fraud concerning his use of almost $200,000 worth of computer equipment.

The Advocate reports that 30-year-old Dustin J. Landry admitted Wednesday that he increased his income by $196,841 over a 4-year period by selling computer equipment that belonged to his Baton Rouge employer.

Landry's plea agreement shows the scheme was carried out between June 2006 and April 2010 at MMR Group Inc., where Landry worked as an information-technology specialist.

The mail fraud conviction carries a possible penalty of 20 years in prison and fines that could total $250,000.

A Maine judge has upheld a jury verdict that awarded $7.3 million in damages for emotional distress to a businessman who contended he was double-crossed by a law firm he hired.

A Cumberland County jury last summer said the Portland law firm of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer and Nelson worked against Peter Redman's interests in a dispute with his brother over control of the now-defunct Northern Mattress and Furniture Co. In a 37-page ruling, Superior Court Justice Thomas Humphrey denied the law firm's motion seeking a new trial.

Redman, of Old Orchard Beach, was banned from the family business' headquarters over a sexual harassment claim he contended was orchestrated by his brother to wrest control of the business. Redman said the firm failed to defend him against the accusations.

A West Virginia man who passed a counterfeit $50 bill at a livestock market in Roane County has been convicted in a counterfeit money scheme.

The government says a federal jury in Charleston convicted 36-year-old Roger L. Atkinson II on Thursday of knowingly conspiring to possess, manufacture and pass counterfeit currency.

Prosecutors said the Spencer man conspired with Lawrence E. Holbrook in the scheme, which helped support their drug habits. Holbrook pleaded guilty earlier for his role.

Rupert Murdoch's News America Marketing has agreed to pay a whopping $125 million to settle a years-long lawsuit brought by tiny Insignia Systems Inc. that alleged Murdoch's people unfairly interfered and lied in attempt to take business from the Plymouth company, which provides in-store promotions.

The settlement, which is more than Insignia's market value and more than four times its 2009 revenue, was reached a day after the trial commenced before U.S. District Judge John Tunheim in Minneapolis.

The deal was announced after the markets closed Wednesday. Insignia's stock has traded lately at more than $6.50 per share, a five-year high and partly in anticipation by traders that Insignia would win a favorable outcome in light of recent, similar settlements reached by other competitors of News America, which is part of Murdoch's News Corp. holdings. Insignia shares closed at $7.57, up 3 percent in Wednesday's trading.

Under the settlement, New York-based News America will pay Insignia $125 million and Insignia will pay $4 million in return for a 10-year business arrangement that gives Insignia access to some News America clients. Insignia had sought more than $250 million in damages.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared in court Monday for a showdown with Swedish authorities to fight an extradition bid over sex crimes allegations.

Assange, wearing a blue suit, was flanked by two prison guards as the hearing opened at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court. Celebrity supporters Jemima Khan and Bianca Jagger, and politician Tony Benn also attended.

Assange is accused of sexual misconduct by two women he met during a visit to Stockholm last year. Defense lawyers will argue that he should not be extradited because he has not been charged with a crime, because of flaws in Swedish prosecutors' case — and because a ticket to Sweden could eventually land him in Guantanamo Bay or on U.S. death row.

American officials are trying to build a criminal case against the secret–spilling site, which has angered Washington by publishing a trove of leaked diplomatic cables and secret U.S. military files. Assange's lawyers claim the Swedish prosecution is linked to the leaks and politically motivated.

Preliminary defense arguments released by Assange's legal team claim "there is a real risk that, if extradited to Sweden, the U.S. will seek his extradition and/or illegal rendition to the USA, where there will be a real risk of him being detained at Guantanamo Bay or elsewhere."

The document adds that "there is a real risk that he could be made subject to the death penalty" if sent to the United States. Under European law, suspects cannot be extradited to jurisdictions where they may face execution.

Former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh has picked up another new job as a partner with a Washington law firm.

The firm of McGuireWoods announced Monday that Bayh would be partner in its Washington office and would be a strategic advisor to domestic and international clients on public policy matters involving Congress, the executive branch and state governments. Bayh will also be a senior advisor to McGuireWoods Consulting, the firm's public affairs branch.

The 55-year-old Democrat's 12 years in the Senate ended in early January after he opted last year not to seek a third term.

Bayh has also joined the New York-based private equity firm Apollo Global Management as a senior public policy adviser.