'Berman, the Amherst native who was supposed to bankroll Mark E. Hamister's failed bid to buy the Sabres, late last month started serving a five-year sentence in the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pa., said Megan Gaffney, a Justice Department spokeswoman. Berman, who pleaded guilty in December to stealing more than $3.6 million from the company he founded and from one of its investors, will be on probation for three years and have to do 100 hours of community service once he gets out.'