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Federal Court Affirms Utah Man’s Wind Farm Fraud Convictions

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of a Utah man who defrauded investors nationwide of more than $4.4 million by promoting investment in nonexistent wind farms in Wyoming and South Dakota.

A three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected arguments from defendant Robert Arthur Reed of Salt Lake City.

Reed, now in his mid-50s, pleaded guilty in 2013 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. A federal judge sentenced him to more than 12 years in prison.

Reed represented himself on appeal and argued that investors had agreed to lend money to a wind farm development company for three years. He said the three-year loan period hadn’t run out before he and the others were arrested.