Former N.D. Agent Convicted of Fraud Loses Another Appeal

A Wimbledon, N.D. farmer and insurance agent, convicted in what was described as the largest farm fraud case in North Dakota history has lost another appeal.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also has rejected the government’s cross-appeal in the case.

Duane Huber was found guilty in November 2002 of operating five sham farms between 1994 and 1999. He was convicted on 19 charges, including conspiracy to defraud the government, filing false income tax returns and money laundering.

He initially was ordered to serve five years in prison and forfeit $5.9 million. The 8th Circuit later ordered a new sentence in the case, and U.S. District Judge Rodney Webb in September 2005 reduced the forfeiture amount to about $3.9 million, but upheld the five-year prison term.

Both Huber and the government appealed on numerous technical legal grounds that the 8th Circuit panel said Tuesday were not valid.

“We commend the district court for the four years of work it has done on this complicated case, and affirm,” the appellate judges said.