Private companies stop associating with you and/or sue when they feel wronged, that's the hammer they have to swing. The government's hammer is accusing you of

Private companies stop associating with you and/or sue when they feel wronged, that's the hammer they have to swing. The government's hammer is accusing you of a crime and sticking you in jail (and maybe letting you back out if a jury doesn't agree) and people who wrong them are nails. I think that distinction is probably more relevant here than whether the specific lies in question constitute a crime. It explains why this person is getting jailed whereas people that do this and get caught in private industry get excommunicated from said industry and/or sued.