Opinion ID: 796567
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 11 Radziszewski first challenges the sufficiency of the evidence in support of his mail and wire fraud convictions. When faced with such a challenge, we will only reverse a defendant's conviction if, viewing all evidence in the light most favorable to the government, no rational trier of fact could have found the defendant guilty of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Olson, 450 F.3d 655, 664 (7th Cir.2006). To prove mail or wire fraud, the prosecution must demonstrate: (1) the defendant's participation in a scheme to defraud; (2) the defendant's intent to defraud; and (3) the defendant's use of the mail (for 18 U.S.C. § 1341) or wires (for 18 U.S.C. § 1343) in furtherance of the fraudulent scheme. United States v. Davuluri, 239 F.3d 902, 906 (7th Cir. 2001). Radziszewski does not dispute the existence of a scheme to defraud lenders, he simply disclaims any intentional participation in that scheme by portraying himself as an innocent translator or mere associate of those involved in the scheme. 12 The evidence at trial, however, demonstrated that Radziszewski was not just a knowing participant, but a leader in the scheme. According to trial testimony, Radziszewski selected straw buyers based on their credit histories, took them to meetings with mortgage brokers, supplied the brokers with the critical documents for obtaining loan approval, told the buyers where to sign forms, bribed a broker to increase the probability of loan approval, and even provided a straw buyer the identification required to assume a stolen identity. Further, the documentary evidence showed that funds gained at the August closing were deposited into an account in the defendant's control. 13 The defendant urges us to discount this mountain of evidence by impugning the credibility of the trial witnesses. For instance, he argues that Kripatskyy's testimony cannot be trusted because Kripatskyy was an illegal alien, testified under a grant of immunity, and made seemingly inconsistent statements regarding Radziszewski's participation in the scheme. But [i]t is not our role, when reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, to second-guess a jury's credibility determinations. United States v. Buchmeier, 255 F.3d 415, 420 (7th Cir.2001) (quoting United States v. McGee, 189 F.3d 626, 630 (7th Cir.1999)). Accordingly, we reverse [credibility] determinations on appeal only under exceptional circumstances, such as `where it was physically impossible for the witness to observe that which he claims occurred, or impossible under the laws of nature for the occurrence to have taken place at all.' United States v. Ray, 238 F.3d 828, 834 (7th Cir.2001) (quoting United States v. Williams, 216 F.3d 611, 614 (7th Cir. 2000)). Radziszewski does not contend that this case presents any such exceptional circumstance. And, we decline Radziszewski's invitation to reweigh the credibility of the trial witnesses and affirm the jury's verdict.