Can a defendant be held criminally liable for the illegal actions of his or her subordinate?

The district court instructed the jury that appellants could be held criminally liable for the illegal actions of subordinates if they knowingly authorized or consented to such behavior. ⁴ Appellants timely objected to the instruction; they argue that it erroneously permitted the jury to convict them for merely knowing about the illegal conduct of others and failing to stop it, even if they were not wrongdoers themselves. Questions as to whether the instructions properly state the elements of an offense are reviewed de novo. United States v. Stenberg, 803 F.2d 422, 433 (9th Cir.1986).