United States v. James Thornberg

MURPHY, Circuit Judge.

James Edward Thornberg pled guilty to wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)®. The district court 2 sentenced him to 96 months after departing upward from the sentencing guidelines. Thornberg appeals, and we affirm.

Throughout 1998 James Thornberg engaged in an elaborate scheme to sell ethanol powered vehicles. The vehicles did not actually exist, but Thornberg and his accomplice created false press releases, color brochures, specification sheets, and invoices about them. They offered vehicles powered…