Ex-Ohio AG's estranged wife fined $1,000

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 26 (UPI) -- A judge in Ohio Monday fined the estranged wife of former state Attorney General Marc Dann $1,000 for trying to influence the awarding of a university grant.

Alyssa Lenhoff pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor for trying to use her relationship with Dann to garner a $6,500 grant for Youngstown State University for a course on unsolved crimes, The Columbus Dispatch reported. Lenhoff directs the journalism program at Youngstown State.

Under the plea deal, Lenhoff avoided jail time but will pay court costs and cooperate with an investigation into alleged misdemeanors during Dann's tenure as attorney general, the newspaper said.

Dann's office initially awarded the grant but Dann says he intervened to stop it to avoid the appearance off impropriety. The Ohio Ethics Commission says another attorney in the office acted to cut off the funding, the Dispatch said.

Lenhoff, 47, filed for divorce from Dann, 48, this month.

Dann resigned from office in a sexual harassment scandal. Three former aides are facing criminal charges and Dann paid a $3,000 fine last year over the use of campaign funds for personal

purposes, but has not been criminally charged.