Topeka ? The former head of a Kansas utility has paid a $1 million fine associated with his federal conviction in a bank loan conspiracy.

Court documents show the payment was made Thursday.

Former Wester Energy Chief Executive David Wittig was fined and sentenced to four years in prison in February 2004. The sentence was later reduced to two years.

A federal jury convicted Wittig in July 2003 of loaning $1.5 million to former Topeka bank president Del Weidner, then helping him hide the transaction.

Wittig is at a federal prison in Minnesota, serving the remaining 10 months of his sentence. He earlier served about 13 months, then was released in February 2007, pending the outcome of his appeal. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld his sentence and denied a request for reconsideration. Wittig returned to prison in January.

In a separate case, prosecutors alleged Wittig and former chief strategy officer Douglas Lake tried to loot Westar while running the utility. Their first trial ended in a mistrial and a second ended in convictions on most counts, including wire fraud and money laundering. The 10th Circuit Court overturned those convictions in 2007 and prohibited prosecutors from retrial on the wire fraud and money laundering counts, saying evidence was lacking.

The third federal criminal trial was scheduled for last September, but has been postponed.