Infomercial pitchman Trudeau gets 30 days for unleashing e-mails that crashed judge’s computer

Trudeau gets 30 days for crashing judge’s computer

CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago who was barraged by e-mails from supporters of best-selling author and infomercial pitchman Kevin Trudeau has sentenced Trudeau to 30 days in jail and fined him $50,000.

Judge Robert Gettleman gave Trudeau 24 hours to appeal the Wednesday sentence. The judge told Trudeau and his attorneys to be back in court Thursday.

Marshals will take Trudeau into custody at that time unless the appeals judges order he remain free.

Gettleman once ruled Trudeau was deceptive in ads for the book “The Weight Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About.”

Trudeau admits urging visitors to his Web site last week to contact Gettleman. He later posted an apology saying they should not attempt to contact the judge or court further.