Opinion ID: 199023
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Count 22 (Perjury)

Text: 50 Ober was convicted of perjury for denying, under oath, that he was familiar with the D & E Realty Trust and that he had ever participated in making a loan in which he had an undisclosed interest. As recounted above, there was evidence that Ober was present when the D & E Realty Trust was executed, owned a half interest in it, and received half of its net income. There was also evidence that he participated in making undisclosed loans to the Riverview Development Trust and the DGB Realty Trust while having an interest in each trust. On the basis of that evidence, the jury could have concluded that both of Ober's statements--which he stipulated were material--were false and that he made them willfully. See United States v. Cardales, 168 F.3d 548, 558 (1st Cir.), cert. denied, 120 S. Ct. 101 (1999) (elements of perjury are falsity, materiality, and willfulness). Although Ober now argues that the question whether he was familiar with the D & E Realty Trust was ambiguous, there was sufficient evidence to prove that his denial was false on any reasonable interpretation of the question.