Court Overturns Sentence in TV Show Scam

A federal appeals court has overturned a 366-day prison term for a man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars by claiming to be producing a government-backed television show about the Department of Homeland Security, saying it fell far short of sentencing guidelines.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday set aside Joseph Medawar's sentence, which was a fraction of what prosecutors sought and even less than his own attorney requested.
A three-judge panel decided that U.S. District Judge Manuel Real "committed procedural error" in not using federal guidelines to determine Medawar's sentence and ordered that he be re-sentenced.

Guidelines called for 57 to 71 months in prison, and prosecutors had asked for 57.
The panel also said Real did not provide a "significant justification" for giving the sentence.
Medawar, 46, pleaded guilty in May 2006 to tax evasion and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, admitting fleecing about 50 people of millions of dollars. He could now face further prison time.