Opinion ID: 453009
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 2 Appellants herein, Philip Weinstein, Wilhelmina Harich Weinstein, 1 Solomon Richman, Robert Falvo, and Stanley Kowitt (hereinafter and collectively, appellants), were convicted by jury trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida of conspiracy in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 18 U.S.C. Secs. 1961-68 (1982) (RICO), and of one or more counts of mail or wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. Secs. 1341-1343 (1982). Each appellant appeals his or her conviction, alleging insufficient evidence to support prosecution under RICO. A number of evidentiary, constitutional, and procedural grounds of error are also raised. 2 3 The crime which the government sought to prove was a simple one, a conspiracy to defraud pharmaceutical manufacturers by misrepresentations made through use of interstate mail and wire transmissions. The case is complicated, however, by the context in which this crime took place, the so-called diversion market of the American pharmaceutical industry. An understanding of the case therefore requires an understanding of diversion and its role in the marketing of pharmaceuticals in this country.