John Milne, former president and chief financial officer of United Rentals, Greenwich, Conn., last week was sentenced in federal court to 27 months in prison for conspiring to falsify the company’s records. Milne also was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

In addition, to resolve a separate civil action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Milne has agreed to disgorge $6.25 million.

Milne pleaded guilty in federal court on Oct. 13, 2009, to one count of conspiracy to falsify the books and records of United Rentals during the time he served as the company’s chief financial officer. In pleading guilty, he admitted that, in 2003, he and others conspired to falsify United Rentals’ books and records, including recording falsely inflated gains, with the respect to the nature of certain payments made to settle obligations incurred as a result of minor sale leaseback (MSLB) transactions entered into by United Rentals.