Opinion ID: 393808
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: benmuhar

Text: 4 Both appellants argued there was insufficient evidence to support their convictions. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, United States v. Ciampaglia, 628 F.2d 632, 637 (1st Cir. 1980), we think there was sufficient evidence to permit a reasonable jury to find Benmuhar guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of both the conspiracy and the substantive mail and wire fraud counts. 5 Evidence that the jury could have believed showed that Benmuhar was an officer and sales manager of Delta International. Benmuhar's cousin Charles was Delta's president. When Delta's accountant informed Charles that Delta would be facing bankruptcy within months, Charles replied that he would prefer to destroy the company's warehouse than go through bankruptcy. 6 Charles hired contract arsonists to come from Florida. When they arrived, Charles gave them a tour of Delta's premises, pointing out the electrical controls and the sprinkler system, and introduced them to the appellant Benmuhar. The arsonists returned to Florida. 7 On their trip to Puerto Rico, the arsonists met with Charles and appellant Benmuhar. One arsonist stated that he would need some potassium chloride in order to be able to set the fire. Charles replied that he would have appellant Benmuhar drive the arsonists to a place to purchase the chemical. Appellant Benmuhar and the arsonists looked in a telephone book for a location for the purchase. Then the three drove there, and appellant Benmuhar walked in and bought the potassium chloride while the others waited in the car. The three then tried to locate some sulfuric acid. They located some after trying two more places. Appellant Benmuhar again purchased the chemical. 8 Later, all three assembled with Charles and others at the warehouse, poured drinks, and toasted to the success of what was about to take place. The arsonists then prepared to light the fire while the others, including appellant Benmuhar, gathered by the exit. After igniting the blaze, the arsonists signaled and all left the building, which burned. 9 Appellant Benmuhar and Charles subsequently met with the claims adjuster for the insurance company with which Delta's fire insurance claim was filed. Both men participated in providing the insurance company with documents it requested during its investigation. 10 As this recital makes clear, the evidence is sufficient to establish that appellant Benmuhar joined an arson conspiracy, knowing of its essential and illegal character, and committed overt acts in its furtherance. The government may not have established that appellant Benmuhar knew every detail of the conspiracy, but this is not its burden. E. g., United States v. McCarthy, 611 F.2d 220, 222 (8th Cir. 1979), cert. denied, 445 U.S. 930, 100 S.Ct. 1319, 63 L.Ed.2d 764 (1980). 11 The evidence similarly shows that appellant Benmuhar both directly and vicariously, see Pinkerton v. United States, 328 U.S. 640, 66 S.Ct. 1180, 90 L.Ed.2d 1489 (1946), participated in devising a scheme to defraud in which use of the mails and interstate telephoning would foreseeably follow in the ordinary course of business. That appellant Benmuhar did not personally mail or telephone any communications makes no difference in this situation. See Pereira v. United States, 347 U.S. 1, 8-9, 74 S.Ct. 358, 361-62, 98 L.Ed. 435 (1954); United States v. Calvert, 523 F.2d 895, 903 (8th Cir. 1975), cert. denied, 424 U.S. 911, 96 S.Ct. 1106, 47 L.Ed.2d 314 (1976); Bannister v. United States, 379 F.2d 750, 752-53 (5th Cir. 1967), cert. denied, 390 U.S. 927, 88 S.Ct. 861, 19 L.Ed.2d 988 (1968).