Opinion ID: 419746
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Agreement to Participate

Text: 35 Establishing that an enterprise exists, however, does not end the inquiry in a RICO conspiracy case. In addition, the government must show agreement: that each participant knowingly associated himself with the larger enterprise. Some of the appellants contend that the evidence does not establish a single conspiracy, but that at best it demonstrates a series of unrelated agreements, each occurring in connection with one or more of the predicate offenses. Therefore, they argue that there was a variance between the offense charged in the indictment and the proof offered at trial which prejudiced substantial rights of the defendants. See Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750, 66 S.Ct. 1239, 90 L.Ed. 1557 (1946); United States v. Camiel, 689 F.2d 31 (1982). Viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the government, we conclude that there was no variance from the indictment and that there was sufficient evidence from which the jury could have found that each of the appellants agreed to participate in a single enterprise conspiracy. 36 The issue of what constitutes a conspiracy under RICO is a matter of first impression in this Circuit but has been actively debated in the Fifth and other Circuits. See United States v. Brooklier, 685 F.2d 1208 (9th Cir.1982), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 103 S.Ct. 1194, 75 L.Ed.2d 439 (U.S.1983); United States v. Lemm, 680 F.2d 1193 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 103 S.Ct. 739, 74 L.Ed.2d 960 (1982); United States v. Sutherland, 656 F.2d 1181 (5th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 949, 102 S.Ct. 1451, 71 L.Ed.2d 663 (1982); United States v. Lee Stoller Enterprises, Inc., 652 F.2d 1313 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1082, 102 S.Ct. 636, 70 L.Ed.2d 615 (1981); United States v. Elliott, 571 F.2d 880 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 953, 99 S.Ct. 349, 58 L.Ed.2d 344 (1978); see also Blakey and Goldstock, 'On the Waterfront': RICO and Labor Racketeering, 17 Am.Crim.L.Rev. 341, 360-62 (1980). The Fifth Circuit has determined that in enacting section 1962(d) Congress did not radically alter traditional conspiracy doctrine except to the extent that it proposed a dramatically new conspiratorial objective. An agreement merely to commit the predicate offenses would not be sufficient to support a RICO conspiracy. Nor is it sufficient if the defendants merely participate in the same enterprise. See Sutherland, supra, 656 F.2d at 1192 (explaining Elliott ). This is so because, under RICO, it is an agreement to conduct or participate ... in the conduct of [an] enterprise's activities through the commission of predicate offenses that is prohibited, not an agreement to commit a pattern of racketeering activity alone. As stated in Blakey and Goldstock, supra at 361: [T]he key element is proof that the various crimes were performed in order to assist the enterprise's involvement in corrupt endeavors. Consequently, we agree with the Fifth Circuit that Congress intended that a series of agreements that under pre-RICO law would constitute multiple conspiracies could under RICO be tried as a single 'enterprise' conspiracy if the defendants have agreed to commit a substantive RICO offense. Sutherland, supra, 656 F.2d at 1192. 37 Proof of agreement in a RICO proceeding may be established by circumstantial evidence to the same extent permitted in traditional conspiracy cases. It is well-established that one conspirator need not know the identities of all his co-conspirators, nor be aware of all the details of the conspiracy in order to be found to have agreed to participate in it. Blumenthal v. United States, 332 U.S. 539, 68 S.Ct. 248, 92 L.Ed. 154 (1947); United States v. Simmons, 679 F.2d 1042, 1050 (3d Cir.1982); United States v. Boyd, 595 F.2d 120 (3d Cir.1978). Our review of the record convinces us that, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, there was sufficient evidence from which the jury could have found that each of the appellants understood the scope of the enterprise and knowingly agreed to further its affairs through the commission of various offenses. Having established that a jury could properly have concluded that a single enterprise existed which supervised and coordinated a series of criminal activities, such as gambling and loan-sharking, it is not difficult for us to reach the conclusion that the jury could have found that each appellant must necessarily have known that the individual operations were supervised or financed, at least in part, through the organizational infrastructure by members of the core group. 38 There can be no doubt that Harry Riccobene was fully aware of the extent of the enterprise with which he was associated. He was a member of the core group, and his statements in intercepted conversations make clear that he had been an active member for at least 40 years. For example, in a conversation with Bongiovanni, he talked about his participation in a 1931 war between various factions of the Cosa Nostra. Riccobene then went on to explain why he chose not to become the boss, and why Bruno was still in power, even though he don't have the capability. 39 Evidence of Bongiovanni's knowledge of the scope of the enterprise comes primarily from his discussions with Harry Riccobene. Although Bongiovanni contends that these conversations concerning the group's past indicate merely that he was an amateur historian, the jury could have concluded he was aware of the present implications of that history. In discussing Bruno, for example, both Riccobene and Bongiovanni switch from past to present tense, and then they speak of the proper degree of respect that should be shown to somebody ... in that position. In addition, Riccobene told Bongiovanni at another time that It's their money I lend out. It ain't my money. In other conversations, both men referred to those guys from Tenth Street. 15 It also appears that Bongiovanni had some contact with Sindone. After the FBI raid at the talent agency, Sindone told Harry Riccobene that Bongiovanni had told him that the agents had mentioned Sindone's name during the raid. It is consistent with the structure of the enterprise that Bongiovanni would have had a relationship with Sindone. Sindone, through Ciancaglini, appears to have supervised the local numbers games, including the Riccobene operation at which Bongiovanni was employed. From all this, the jury could have concluded that Bongiovanni joined the enterprise knowing that its activities extended far beyond the particular gambling and loansharking operations at which he was employed, even though he might not have been aware of all of the organization's criminal acts or other participants. 40 Direct evidence demonstrating Mario Riccobene's knowledge of the scope of the conspiracy is more limited. Mario and Harry Riccobene were clearly partners in the illegal numbers and loansharking businesses. They apparently shared the same offices, which were visited with some regularity by higher-ranking members of the enterprise. Mario Riccobene obviously knew these men, serving on occasion as Bruno's driver when Bruno visited other members of the enterprise. He was at Bruno's home at the time of a meeting between co-conspirators Bruno, Testa, Simone and Sindone. Also, after the FBI raided the talent agency, Mario and Harry Riccobene discussed how the federal agents had found out about their operations. Mario stated that it's just gotta be phone conversations or eavesdropping.... Can't be 10th Street. (emphasis added). A reasonable inference from this last statement is that Mario Riccobene knew of the connection between his own operation and the core group who met at Frank's Cabana Steaks. From all of the evidence presented, including the close personal and business relationship between Mario Riccobene and his half-brother Harry, one of the central figures in the enterprise, the jury could have found that Mario knowingly agreed to participate in the enterprise. 41 There was overwhelming evidence to show that Ciancaglini was aware of the scope of the enterprise. In addition to other activities, he supervised the numbers operations for Sindone, and served as money collector for the numbers game conducted by members of the core group. 42 There is sufficient evidence from which the jury could have found that Warrington knowingly participated in the enterprise as well. During the craps game scam, he indicated his knowledge of the profit-sharing arrangement between Philadelphia and New York, and that Bruno had told him that, since it was a scam, the 50% rule did not apply. In addition, Warrington was concerned that Simone, a member of the core group, would want a share of the profits and that, in order to avoid trouble, Sindone would order Warrington to give Simone a cut. Sindone was one of the members of the core group who shared with Warrington a financial interest in the Reed Street craps game which Warrington operated. Warrington's demonstrated knowledge of the core group and his statements as to their supervision of his activities provided the jury with sufficient evidence from which to conclude that he was aware of the scope of the conspiracy with which he was associated. 43 Our review of the evidence has shown that a single enterprise did exist and that each appellant was a knowing member of the conspiracy to conduct or participate ... in the conduct of such enterprise's affairs.... 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1962(c). Appellants put forth two subsidiary arguments under their multiple conspiracy claims which we must address before we turn to their remaining contentions. First, at least some of them argue that there was insufficient independent evidence of their participation in the conspiracy to justify the admission of hearsay statements under Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(E) by alleged co-conspirators as evidence against them. As the review of the evidence against the appellants has demonstrated, however, it was their own statements that were usually the most incriminating, and certainly provided sufficient evidence of the likelihood of a single conspiracy to justify the admission of their co-conspirators' statements. Second, each asserts that he was prejudiced by the introduction of masses of evidence of predicate offenses and overt acts which were in no way related to him. Inasmuch as we have held that a single conspiracy has been shown to have existed, there is no unfair prejudice here because all of the evidence went to proving some part of the conspiracy in which each of them participated.