Energy Dept. Clerk’s Invoice Fraud Conviction Affirmed on Appeal

A Colorado man found guilty of defrauding the US Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration of nearly $1 million, failed to undo his convictions on appeal Thursday.

The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit also said the district court improperly limited forfeiture to the wire transactions charged in the indictment. He’s on the hook for the all the proceeds of the scheme, the court said.

Matthew Cline argued the district court should have excluded evidence of a testifying co-particiant’s guilty plea. But the appeals court said the government’s introduction of the plea was permissible because its primary ...