Opinion ID: 77441
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Amount of Loss & Restitution.

Text: 30 The district court concluded that the City was an identifiable victim of Defendants' scheme and based Defendants' sentences on a total loss amount of $710,262. Because this loss amount exceeds $500,000, the district court enhanced Defendants' base offense level 10 points in accordance with U.S. Sentencing Guidelines section 2F1.1(b)(1)(K) (2000). Defendants contend the proper loss amount is around $33,900, which is the amount of loss identified in the individual mail fraud counts. 31 We review the district court's loss determination for clear error, United States v. Cabrera, 172 F.3d 1287, 1292 (11th Cir.1999), and review questions of law under the sentencing guidelines de novo, United States v. Crawford, 407 F.3d 1174, 1178 (11th Cir.2005). For sentencing purposes, the loss amount does not need to be precise and may only be a reasonable estimate of the loss based on the available information. U.S.S.G. § 2B1.1, cmt. n. 3 (2000). When considering the loss caused by fraudulent conduct, the nature of the individual scheme must determine the correct way to measure the loss. United States v. Orton, 73 F.3d 331, 333 (11th Cir.1996). 32 The district court determined that RAP's scheme was inherently fraudulent and that unitary criminal activity was equally undertaken by both defendants. Although RAP may have paid an unspecified amount of its collections to its clients, the correct loss amount should be based on the proceeds from Defendants' fraudulent conduct — in this case, the deprivation of John Woodard's honest services. Every dollar RAP took from the City resulted from depriving the City of John Woodard's honest services. 33 The district court did err in calculating the total loss amount by not deducting from the $710,262 the $43,243 RAP returned to the APD. But this error was harmless because the adjusted total loss amount — $667,219 — still exceeds the $500,000 threshold for upwardly adjusting Defendants' base offense level. 34 Debra Woodard further argues that the district court erred in awarding $333,504 in restitution to the City when there are other identifiable victims. A person convicted of a crime against property under Title 18 is required to make full restitution to his victim. 18 U.S.C. § 3663A. The district court concluded that the City was a victim of Defendants' fraudulent scheme and that it would be impractical to separate loss amounts for individual claimants for restitution purposes. Although the City had no property interest in the money it paid to RAP, the City was responsible for that money, and the City is required to repay the money to its rightful owners. The district court did not err in ordering restitution to the City. 9