"Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak has been sentenced to five years' probation after pleading guilty last November to scheming to split a $1.5 million kickback on a real-estate deal with Stuart Levine.
Prosecutors had asked for prison and to have Vrdolyak pay $1.5 million in restitution -- but U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur didn't go for it.
"It would send the wrong message to impose custodial care," Shadur said.
