Opinion ID: 795316
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: More Than One Victim

Text: 89 Edelmann first asserts that the district court erred in applying a two-level enhancement for defrauding more than one victim under § 2F1.1(b)(2)(B) of the 2000 Guidelines. 5 Section 2F1.1(b)(2)(B) of the 2000 Guidelines states that [i]f the [fraudulent] offense involved ... (B) a scheme to defraud more than one victim, increase by 2 levels. While Edelmann argues that there was not one scheme to defraud multiple victims but three separate schemes, each with one victim, the government presented evidence that Edelmann used her business as a front to swindle three different parties out of money within a very short time frame. 90 First, Edelmann used similar business records in her scheme to defraud Victor Beard, Thomas Richardson, and BNC, such as false profit and loss statements, tax records, bank statements and letters, and documents relating to her anticipated earnings from an overseas training program. Second, Edelmann perpetrated the frauds on Beard, Richardson, and BNC within a three-month period. Third, the fraud of Richardson and BNC took place within the same time frame and for the same purpose. Edelmann submitted false statements to the loan company to qualify for a home loan of $125,000. To complete the transaction, she had to bring a sum of $102,825.08 to closing on March 9, 2001. Edelmann gave excuses to the title company as to why she did not have the down payment money on the closing date. Two days later, Edelmann asked Richardson if she could borrow $250,000 from him. The next day, Richardson agreed to lend the money to Edelmann, requesting that Schwab issue a $102,825.08 check to Edelmann. Edelmann then negotiated the check on March 13, 2001, turning it into a Bank of America cashier's check that she presented to the title company on March 13, 2001, to close the loan. Therefore, we find that the schemes to defraud Richardson and the mortgage company were inextricably intertwined, establishing that Edelmann defrauded more than one victim. 91 Accordingly, we hold that the district court properly applied the two-level enhancement.