A federal judge has ordered the acquittal of two former employees of disgraced financier Allen Stanford on charges that they illegally shredded thousands of company documents.

U.S. District Judge Richard W. Goldberg cited insufficient evidence Friday in Miami in the case against ex-Stanford employees Thomas Raffanello and Bruce Perraud. The judge's order came on the second day of jury deliberations.

Raffanello and Perraud faced up to 50 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy, document destruction and other charges.

Defense attorneys had argued that all records were backed up electronically.

Raffanello was previously chief of Miami's Drug Enforcement Administration office.

Stanford is awaiting trial in Houston.