CLEVELAND
The brother and sister of an Ohio doctor charged with killing his wife with cyanide have been fined for helping him while he was a fugitive by sending money and not telling authorities they knew where he went.
Firas Essa (feer'-ahs eh'-sah) and Runa Ighneim (roo'-nah ihg'-neyem) appeared in a Cleveland court Monday.
Their brother, Dr. Yazeed Essa, fled the U.S. after the 2005 death of his wife and was extradited from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus about three weeks ago.
A judge suspended jail terms for the siblings, although Firas Essa was ordered to jail for 30 days for a bond violation and was fined $25,000.
Firas Essa had pleaded guilty to two counts of obstructing justice and one of tampering with records. Runa Ighneim pleaded guilty to obstructing official business and falsification.
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