Earlier this month Petricevic was convicted on all 18 charges brought by the Financial Markets Authority under the Crimes, Securities and Companies Acts.

The charges related to misleading statements in company prospectuses, investment statements and advertising material.

Petricevic faced up to 10 years in jail, the maximum sentence under the Crimes Act charges.

His lawyer Charles Cato pushed for a starting point of six years in jail, while Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey argued for eight.

Justice Venning opted for a starting point of seven and a half years, giving a 10% discount on the basis that Petricevic's age (62) would make prison difficult and the fact that this was his first criminal offence.

The judge also acknowledged the effect the intense media scrutiny had had on Petricevic's family; however, he said he had not shown true remorse for his actions.

"I am not satisfied you have shown your remorse is genuine. You have said you are remorseful, but at the same time you maintain your innocence."

Justice Venning later added, "You may be sorry investors lost their money, but that is not true remorse."

The misleading statements included a claim that Bridgecorp had never missed a payment to investors, a claim it continued to make for months after a late payment in February 2007.

Bridgecorp eventually collapsed in July 2007, owing $459 million to more than 14,000 investors.

Fellow Bridecorp directors Robert Roest, Gary Urwin, Peter Steigrad and Bruce Davidson have all been convicted in relation to the company's failure.

Davidson was given home detention while Urwin was recently sentenced to two years in jail.  Steigrad and Roest have yet to be sentenced.

Petricevic and Roest also face a trial in September on separate charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office.