A federal appellate court in Chicago has denied an appeal filed by imprisoned former Illinois Gov. George Ryan.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released a 16-page ruling on Monday denying the 78-year-old Republican's appeal.

A ruling in his favor could have led to Ryan's release from an Indiana prison. It was widely seen as his last chance to get out of prison early.

Ryan is nearing the end of a 6 1/2-year sentence. He's due to be released in mid-2013.

The U.S. Supreme Court in April ordered the appeals court to revisit Ryan's arguments to overturn his conviction.

Last year, the lower court rejected arguments that the 2006 convictions should be tossed because prosecutors never proved Ryan took a bribe.