FIL ED U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S EL EVENTHCI RCUI T J ANUARY 7, 2011 J OHN L EY CL ERK [DO NOT PUBLISH] IN THE U

NITED STATE S COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ No. 1 0- 11 12 6 Non -Arg um en t Ca le nd ar

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ D.C. Dock etNo. 1 :0 8- cr-2 08 51 -J AL-7 UNITED STAT ES OF AMERIC A, Pl ai nt iff -Ap pe ll ee, vers us SCARLET DUARTE, Defen da nt -Ap pe ll an t.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co urt forth e So ut he rnDis tri ctof F lo rid a

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (J anua ry 7, 2 01 1) Befo re TJ OFLAT, PRYOR an d F AY, Circ ui t J ud ge s. PER CURI AM: Scar le t Du art e ap pe al s h er s en te nc e o f 97 m on th s o f im pr is on m en t an d co nv ic ti on s fo r on e co un t o f co ns pi rin g t o l au nd er m on ey , 18 U.S.C. § 1 95 6( h) ,an d 5 co un ts of m on ey lau nd eri ng , id . § 1 95 6( a)(1 )(B) (i) . Duart e ch al le ng es th e su ffi ci en cy

of t he ev id en ce t o s up po rt h er co nv ic ti on s, the cal cu la ti on of h er b as e of fen se lev el ba se d o n afactua l fi nd in g t ha t s he was re sp on si bl e fo r th e act iv it ie s of two of h er co -co ns pi rat or s, the en ha nc em en t o f he r se nt en ce fo r us in g so ph is ti cat edm ean s an d fo r ob st ru ct in g ju st ic e, an d t he reas on ab le ne ss of h er se nt en ce. We affirm . The di stric t co urt d idno t err by den y in g Du art e’s m ot io ns fora jud gm en t o f acqui tt al for“ al l cr im es ch arg edin[he r] seco ndsupe rs ed in g i nd ic tm en t.” A co m bi na ti on of b an k re co rd s, co rp or at e d oc um en ts , andth e te st im on y of f ed eral ag en ts an d e m

pl oyees; a ph arm aci st ; Du art e’s co -co ns pi rat or s, Di an a So tt o a nd Mar iaLori ga ; an d Du art e’s st ep fathe r es tabl is he d t ha t Du art e an d h er co co ns pi rat or s u se d b il li ng co m pa ni es an d s he ll co rp or at io ns to subm itfrau du le nt cl ai m s t o M ed ic are a ndfun ne le d p aym en ts rece iv edforth os e fal se cla im s t o Dua rte an d h er co ho rts . Duart e laun de redov er $ 50 0,0 00 th ro ug h h er o wn co rp or at io n, SND Me di cal Serv ic es , by pr oc es si ng ch eck s re cei ve d fr om two Med ic are b il li ng co m

pa ni es , th e Res earc h C en te r of Flo rid a an d M &C Hea lt h Cen te r, us in g a n a cco un t Du art e o pe ne d a t La Ba m baCh eckCas hi ng Co m

pa ny. Inon e tr an sa ct io n, Du art e p ro du cedanin vo ic e fro m SND cha rg in g M &C Hea lt h Cen te r fo r $4 0,0 00 inm ed ic al equi pm en t tha t was no t p ur ch as ed , andDuarte 2cas he d t he $4 0,0 00 ch eckpro vi de d b y M&C . Duart e al so lau nd eredm on ey th ro ug h t wo s he ll co rp or at io ns , Fal co n Tra ns po rt a nd24 -Ho urNetwo rkSo lu ti on s. Dua rte en co ur ag edhe r st ep fathe r to in co rp or at e Fal co n Trans po rt o st en si bl y to tra ns po rt p at ie nt s t o S ot to ’s m ed ic al cli ni c, bu t Fa lc on ne ve r co nduc te d a ny le gi ti m at e b us in es s an d Du art e’s st ep fathe r wit hd rew fro m th e v en tu re. Fal co n was fun de d wi th pa ym en ts fro m So tt o a ndth e Pro

ject New Ho pe cli ni c o wne d b y se ve ral co -co ns pi rat or s, i nc lu di ng Lori gaan d S ot to , andDuarte lau nd eredth e m on ey by w it hdrawi ng $4 70 0 fr om th e acc ou ntan d h av in g c o- worke rs at a no th er bu si ne ss cas h c he ck s m ad e p ay ab le to th em foram ou nt s l es s tha n $ 10 ,00 0. Du art e al so in co rp or at ed24 -Ho urNetwo rkSo lu ti on s thr ou gh whi chsh e laun de red pa ym en ts forno ne xi st en t m ed ic al equi pm en t an d s erv ic es fro m th e Pro ject New Hop e cl in ic an d Al l M ed ic al Bil li ng , whi chwas o wne d b y So tt o. Du art e, as th e so le si gn at ory

on th e 2 4- Hou r Network a cco un t, en do rs ed$2 4,3 00 inch eck s m ad e pa y ab le to he rs el f orto cas h a ndap pr ov edpa ym en ts ex ceed in g $ 20 ,00 0 t o thi rd pa rti es forservi ces rece iv edby D ua rte an d h er co ho rts . Dua rte arg ue s tha t s he act edat t he di rect io n o f So tt o andwas u na ware tha t th e m on ey

be in g t ran sf

erre d was pro ceed s o f he al th care frau d, b utwe di sa gr ee. Dua rte work edwith S ot to inth e h eal th care in du st ry an d Du art e p ro ces se d pa ym en ts m ad e to SND, Falc on Tran sp ort, an d t he 24 -Ho ur Netwo rkforhe al th 3care equi pm en t an d s erv ic es th os e co m pa ni es ne ve r pr ov id ed . Duart e te st ifi edan d ranth e ri skth at , if d is be li ev ed , hertes ti m on y wou ldbe co ns id eredsubs ta nt iv e ev id en ce o f he r gu il t. Un it edSta te s v . Bro wn, 5 3 F .3d31 2, 3 14 (11 th Cir . 19 95 ).

“ Thi s ru le ap pl ie s wi th sp eci al for ce wh ere t he ele m en ts to be pro ve d fo r a co nv ic ti on in cl ud e h ig hl y subjec ti ve ele m en ts : fo r ex am pl e, th e d efen da nt ’s in te nt orkn owl ed ge . . . .” Id . The jury was en ti tl edto di sb el ie ve Duarte ’s tes ti m on y th atsh e co m

pl ie d u nwi tt in gl y

with S ot to ’s in st ru ct io ns an d t o fi ndth atDuarte kn ew th e m on ey

sh e laun de redha d b een ob ta in edby defraud in g M ed ic are. The di stric t co urt d idno t cl earl y err b y fin di ng Duarte acco un tabl e fo r al l th e m on ie s tha t p as se d t hr ou gh SND Med ic al Serv ic es . In the cas e o f “ joi nt ly un de rta ke n c riminal act iv it y ,” a d efen da nt ’s bas e o ffen se lev el m us t b e d et erm in ed ba se d o n “ al l re as on ab ly fores eeab le act s an d o m is si on s o f ot he rs infurth eran ce o f th e joi nt ly und ert ak encri min al act iv it y th atoc curreddurin g t he co m m is si on of t he of fen se of c on vi ct io n . . . .” Uni te d S ta te s Se nt en ci ng Gui de li ne s M anua l § 1 B1 .3(a )(1 )(B) (20 09 ). Even if So tt o was th e arc hi te ctof t he m on ey lau nd eri ng sc he m e an d Du art e act edat h er d ire ct io n, Du art e in co rp or at edSND, op en edan acco un t t o c as h i ts ch eck s, an d c on du ct edil le ga l tran sa ct io ns . Whe th er o r no t Dua rte en do rs edall th e ch eck s ca sh edby SND, sh e was acco un tabl e fo r th os e m on ie s b ecau se sh e co ntro ll edth e fi na nc ia l o pe rat io ns of S ND andbe cau se sh e 4co ul d re as on ab ly fores ee tha t h er co -co ns pi rat or s wo ul d u se th e SND acc ou ntto

laun de r m on ey . The di stric t co urt al so di d n otcle arl y err b y en hanc in g Du art e’s se nt en ce fo r us in g s op hi st ic at edm ean s t o l au nd er m on ey . The Se nt en ci ng Gui de li ne s p ro vi de fo r a two- le ve l en ha nc em en t i f th e o ffen se inqu es ti on “ in vo lv edso ph is ti cat ed m ean s,” wh ic h t he co m

m en ta ry de fin es as “ es pe ci al ly com pl ex or e sp eci al ly in tri cat e o ffen se co nduc t p ert ai ni ng to th e ex ecu ti on or c on ceal m en t o f th e of fen se .” Id . § 2 B1 .1(b )(9 )(C) & cmt. n .8(B ). Duarte est ab li sh edth ree c or po rat e sh el ls , SND, Falc on Tran sp ort, an d 2 4- Hou r Network S ol ut io ns , to lau nd er m on ey , pr oduc edfal se do cu m en ts to cam ou fla ge m on ey tra ns fers , enl is te d h er fa th er t o se rv e as th e n om in ee o wne r of Fal co n, an d re cru it edpe rs on s u naware o f th e co ns pi racy to wi th dr aw m on ey fro m Fal co n. The di stric t co urt al so di d n otcle arl y err i n e nh an ci ng Duarte ’s sen te nc e fo r ob st ru ct in g ju st ic e. The d is tri ctco urt fo un d t ha t Du art e te st ifi edfal se ly at tri al ab ou t h er kno wled ge of a ndpa rti ci pa ti on inth e $ 40 ,00 0 t ran sf er fro m M&C Heal th Cen te r to SND Med ic al Serv ic es , inest ab li sh in g ach eckcas hi ng acco un t fo r SND, an d i n i nc or

po rat in g andacce pt in g p aym en ts on be ha lf o f Fal co n Tran sp ort, an d t he reco rdsupp orts th os e fi nd in gs . Duart e arg ue s tha t the di st ric t co urt i m pr op erl y ba se d i ts de ci si on on Duarte ’s fal se tes ti m on y at S ot to ’s hea rin g 5fo r a n ew tr ia l, b utth e d is tri ctco urt re fu se d t o c on si de r th atearl ie r te st im on y on th e g ro un d t ha t i t d idno t re la te to “ th e in ve st ig at io n, p ro se cu ti on , or s en te nc in g o f th e in st an t o ffen se of c on vi ct io n,” id . § 3 C1 .1. The di st ric t co urt en ha nc ed Dua rte ’s sen te nc e fo r ob st ru ct in g ju st ic e b as edon “ he r te st im on y on th e st an d i n th e cas e b efo re” t he di st ric t co urt. The di stric t co urt al so di d n otab us e it s d is cret io n b y im po si ng a se nt en ce at th e h ig h e ndof t he sen te nc in g ra ng e. The d is tri ctco urt re as on ab ly det erm in ed th ata se nt en ce o f 97 m on th s o f im pr is on m en t t oo k i nt o a cco un t Du art e’s res po ns ib il it ie s t o h er ch il dr enan d h er l ackof c riminal hi st ory an d a dd res se d t he se rio us ne ss of Du art e’s of fen se , th e n eedto de te r an d p ro te ctth e p ub li c fro m si mil ar fu tu re m is co nduc t, an d t he ne edto av oi d u nwa rran te d s en te nc in g di sp ari ti es . 18 U.S.C. § 3 55 3( a). Dua rte pa rti ci pa te d i n aco ns pi racy tha t de frau de d t he Med ic are p ro gr am of m or e th an$2 0 m il li on do ll ars , andsh e em pl oyed m or e so ph is ti cat edm ean s tha n s om e o f he r co -co ns pi rat or s t o l au nd er m on ey . Duart e’s se nt en ce i s re as on ab le . W e AFFIRMDuarte ’s con vi ct io ns an d s en te nc e.

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