Jail for boy-band maker

Lou Pearlman, the man who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for engineering a decades-long scam that bilked thousands of investors out of their life savings. It was the maximum sentence the boy-band mogul could receive for allegedly swindling $300 million from investors and banks since the early 1980s. He pleaded guilty in March to two counts of conspiracy and single counts of money laundering and presenting a false claim in bankruptcy court. (AP)

A childhood friend of the alleged victim in the R. Kelly child pornography case said she recognizes her longtime friend as the one in the explicit video at the center of the case. Simha Jamison testified yesterday that she and the alleged victim were best friends for about 10 years until their junior year in high school. Jamison, 24, said she and her friend visited the R&B star at his recording studio and at a Chicago basketball court dozens of times starting when they were about 12. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him of videotaping himself having sex with an underaged girl. (AP)

Yoko Ono wants a judge to imagine a movie challenging the theory of evolution without John Lennon's song "Imagine" in it. The judge is expected to rule soon on the battle between Lennon's widow and the makers of "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed." Ono's lawsuit accuses the movie's producers of infringing on the song's copyright. The filmmakers acknowledge they did not ask for permission to use 15 to 20 seconds of the song. But they argue they are protected by the "fair use" doctrine, which permits small parts of a copyrighted work to be used without permission under certain circumstances. (AP)

An actor who says he created the "Dog the Bounty Hunter" reality TV program has sued the show's producers for at least $5 million that he claims they owe him in royalties, salary, and other compensation. Boris Krutonog of Los Angeles says the A&E Television Networks and others failed to pay him for the fourth season of the show as its creator and co-executive producer. Krutonog also complains in court papers that he was the target of "abusive, violent and outrageous conduct" by the show's stars, Duane "Dog" Chapman and his wife, Beth. (AP)

"This is definitely for all those women out there to continue to be strong." - Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, after winning "Dancing With the Stars" Tuesday night.