FARGO (AP) - A judge says a Minot commodities broker owes nearly $1.9 million to victims of an investment scheme.

Frederick Keiser Jr. was convicted in March 2007 on 22 counts, including charges of wire fraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Prosecutors wanted Keiser to repay nearly $3.7 million. Keiser's attorney had argued for $1.2 million.

U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson said in his ruling that Keiser's records are not reliable. The evidence is "simply inadequate to show the amount of loss sustained by the victims," Erickson wrote.

The judge said some of the people the government included in its argument do not considers themselves victims of the scheme.

"The most accurate way to determine who is a victim and what is owed is to only include the amounts invested by those who made a claim in state or federal court," Erickson wrote.

Erickson said the repayment order will not be final until the government explains how the payments should be made.