Nikola founder Trevor Milton sentenced to 4 years in jail for fraudulent claims about electric vehicles

Nikola founder Trevor Milton was sentenced to four years in prison Monday due to fraudulent claims about his electric vehicle company.

Nikola founder Trevor Milton was sentenced to four years in prison Monday due to fraudulent claims about his electric vehicle company.

In court Monday, Milton portrayed himself as a generous and honest yet unsophisticated businessman who grew up milking cows, lacked a college degree and did not mean to defraud investors in his electric truck company.

"My intent was not to harm others," Milton told Judge Edgardo Ramos. "Let me have probation."

Ramos did not comply with Milton's request, sentencing him to four years in prison, a $1 million fine, forfeiture of a ranch Milton purchased with ill-gotten gains and restitution to victims.