Man Who Stole $1.7M Says 'Cougar' Ex-Wife Not Good for Daughter

NOW, THE MAN CONVICTED OF STEALING $1.7 MILLION IS USING AN UNUSUAL REASON TO ASK THE COURT TO GO EASE S ON HIM. HE SAYS HE DESERVES IT BECAUSE HIS SEXY EX-WIFE HAS TURNED INTO A SELF-PROCLAIMED... See More

NOW, THE MAN CONVICTED OF STEALING $1.7 MILLION IS USING AN UNUSUAL REASON TO ASK THE COURT TO GO EASE S ON HIM. HE SAYS HE DESERVES IT BECAUSE HIS SEXY EX-WIFE HAS TURNED INTO A SELF-PROCLAIMED COUGAR AND IS BAD INFLUENCE ON THEIR DAUGHTER. GOOD MORNING. WILLARD ROSS LANHAM IS THE INVESTOR OR THE MAN WHO LIKES TO PARTY. WILLARD LANHAM IS ASKING FOR LENIENCY THIS MORNING, BECAUSE HE FEARS FOR HIS DAUGHTER IF LEFT WITH HIS EX-WIFE, LARA, A SELF-DESCRIBED COUGAR. A COUGAR REALLY IS A WOMAN THAT'S GOING OUT AND MEETING YOUNG GUYS. AND TEND TO CLICK WITH PEOPLE YOUNGER. Reporter: CALL IT THE COUGAR DEFENSE. LANHAM, ONCE A HOT-SHOT CONSULTANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, LIVED LAVISHLY WITH HIS THEN-WIFE 15 YEARS HIS JUNIOR. AND NAMED THE STREET AFTER HER. IT WAS NORMAL. HE WAS MAKING MONEY. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD SAY, WHERE IS THIS MONEY COMING FROM BECAUSE IT NEVER WAS HUGE. Reporter: IN MARCH, A JURY FOUND LANHAM GUILTY OF FRAUD. HE'S FACING 20 YEARS IN PRISON. BUT LANHAM IS ASKING FOR JUST FOUR YEARS, SAYING HIS 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER CAN'T RELY ON HIS EX-WIFE, CALLING HER EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE. HIS ATTORNEY WRITES, LAURA IS GOING THROUGH A HIGHLY OSTENTATIOUS MID-LIFE CRISIS. CONDUCTING HERSELF AS A TEENAGER AND DATING MEN IN THEIR 20s. I'M NOT SLEEPING WITH THESE KIDS. THESE ARE MY FRIENDS. WILL I DATE EVENTUALLY? YES. IF HE'S YOUNGER, GREAT. Reporter: THE LABEL COUGAR IS ONE THAT LAURA POSTS ON A BLOG THAT CHRONICLES THE EXPLOITS OF WOMEN OVER 40 WHO USE DATING SITES TO MEET YOUNGER MEN. AND IN 2009, LANA LAUNCHED HER OWN WEBSITE, THE HOUSEWIVES NEXT DOOR, TO LAUNCH THIS PIN-UP CALENDAR. WE TOOK GREAT PICTURES. WERE THEY SEXY? YES, THEY WERE. WERE THEY RAUNCHY, NO, THEY WERE NOT. LANHAM SAYS SHE SHUT THE SITE DOWN FOR HER CHILDREN. BUT THE BLOG IS MAKING A COMEBACK. HIS EX-WIFE DOESN'T WISH BRITAIN UPON HIM. BUT COUGAR OR NOT, HER LIFE IS NOW NONE OF HIS BUSINESS. LET THIS GO. LET US GO. DEAL WITH YOUR OWN LIFE AND STOP MESSING UP OURS. WELL. WILLA WILLA WILLA WILLARD LANHAM SAID YOU GET A SENSE OF HER LIFESTYLE. LANHAM IS APPEALING THE CONVICTION. AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE CALENDARS COMING FOR YOU, JOSH. THAT'S GREAT. I'M JUST GOING TO -- MOVING RIGHT ALONG. OCTOBER WAS AN ESPECIALLY INTERESTING MONTH. SERIOUSLY. THIS DRAMATIC RESCUE, THIS CAN