Missouri’s Commissioner of Securities had accused Rallo of defrauding five investors in the St. Louis area and one in Utah. Rallo, they say, had claimed that their investment would go to a company that was purportedly going to supply coconut powder to large retailers, but the money actually went to Rallo’s other businesses.

Stenger, a Democrat, pleaded guilty May 3 to three counts of honest services fraud and resigned. He admitted directing county contracts to Rallo and other political donors. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 9 and could face three to four years in prison, as well as the payment of restitution.

Stenger’s former chief of staff, Bill Miller, pleaded guilty to one count of the same crime and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 6.

He admitted helping Stenger with his schemes, in part by pressuring Sheila Sweeney, who at the time was head of the region’s economic development office, to award a state lobbying contract to a major Stenger donor.