Opinion ID: 77689
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering/Money Laundering

Text: 34 The government charged these defendants (and Carlos Gonzalez) with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), as well as eleven counts of substantive Money Laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i). 7 For these counts to succeed, the government must prove that the proceeds were derived from a specified unlawful activity, and that the defendant had knowledge that the proceeds resulted from said unlawful activity. United States v. Awan, 966 F.2d 1415, 1434 (11th Cir.1992); United States v. Nattier, 127 F.3d 655, 658 (8th Cir.1997); United States v. Henry, 325 F.3d 93, 103 (2d Cir.2003). The government argues that the health care fraud counts charged in the indictment satisfy the money laundering statute's specified unlawful act requirement. 35 As discussed previously, there is not sufficient evidence in the record to show that Canepa or Medina participated in or were aware of the charged health care fraud. The government conceded that cashing the checks through their informant, Abanto, and using the cash to pay patients illegal kickbacks was not money laundering in and of itself, since the illegal acts occurred subsequent to the monetary exchange. As such, health care fraud is the only specified unlawful act that could satisfy 18 U.S.C. § 1956. Therefore, since no evidence exists in the record to establish that Canepa or Medina were aware of the health care fraud, we must vacate their convictions for conspiracy to commit money laundering, as well as all the substantive money laundering counts. 36 As to Guerra, since there is evidence in the record to sustain some of her convictions for Health Care Fraud, the specified unlawful act requirement is satisfied. Specifically, there is evidence in the record that Guerra and Carlos Gonzalez conspired to launder money by (1) committing health care fraud, (2) cashing checks obtained via the health care fraud through Abanto, the government informant, so that it would appear the funds were legitimately spent on advertising, and (3) using that cash to illegally pay kickbacks to patients and doctors. 37 Guerra was also charged in three substantive money laundering counts. These counts occurred in October, November, and December of 2001. Since this was after she signed the documents certifying that she would follow Medicare rules and regulations, a reasonable jury could have concluded that Guerra was committing health care fraud, and as such, the requisite specified unlawful activity was present. Therefore, we hold that Guerra's convictions for conspiracy to commit money laundering and substantive money laundering are supported by sufficient evidence. 38 C. Conspiracy to (a) Defraud the United States, (b) Commit Health Care Fraud, and (c) Pay Kickbacks 39 The jury convicted the defendants of violating 18 U.S.C. § 371, the multi-objective conspiracy count. 8 This Court has long held that where there is a conviction for a multi-object conspiracy, the evidence must only be sufficient to sustain a conviction for any one of the charged objectives. United States v. McKinley, 995 F.2d 1020, 1025 (11th Cir.1993) ( citing United States v. Johnson, 713 F.2d 633, 646 (11th Cir.1983)). 40 With regard to Guerra, there is ample evidence in the record that she conspired with Carlos Gonzalez and with Canepa, her secretary at Ocean Medical, to pay kickbacks. There is testimony from Rubin Martinez that Guerra and Gonzalez acted as patient recruiters before they opened United together, and before Guerra opened Ocean. Abanto, the government informant, testified that Guerra brought him checks signed in her name in exchange for cash. He also testified that when Guerra was unavailable, Canepa would bring him the checks bearing Guerra's signature. There is testimony from other patient recruiters that Guerra paid them to bring her patients at Ocean, and that Gonzalez paid recruiters to bring patients to United. All of this evidence could lead a reasonable jury to conclude that Guerra conspired with Gonzalez and/or Canepa to pay illegal kickbacks to patients in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. 41 All that is required to sustain a conviction for a multi-objective conspiracy is sufficient evidence of one of the objects of the conspiracy. McKinley, 995 F.2d at 1025. Therefore, because there is sufficient evidence in the record to support a conviction as to the third objective of the conspiracy, to pay illegal kickbacks, we need not decide whether there is sufficient evidence in the record to support the other two objectives. As such, we affirm the conspiracy conviction as to Guerra. 42 There is also sufficient evidence in the record to support Canepa's conviction for conspiracy to pay kickbacks. Abanto testified that Canepa would sometimes bring him checks and collect cash on behalf of Guerra. Guerra's signature was on the checks Canepa brought to Abanto. Furthermore, in Abanto's video recordings, Canepa is seen collecting cash and informing Abanto that they need the money to pay patients. Also in the recordings Canepa is heard saying that patients are paid $250 per knee brace. With all credibility inferences made in favor of the jury's verdict, a reasonable jury could have concluded that Canepa conspired with Guerra to pay kickbacks. Because there exists sufficient evidence to convict Canepa on one objective of the conspiracy, we need not reach the question of whether there was sufficient evidence to convict Canepa of the other conspiracy objectives. 9 McKinley, 995 F.2d at 1025. Thus, we affirm Canepa's conviction under the multi-objective conspiracy count. 43 On the other hand, there is not sufficient evidence in the record to convince a reasonable jury that Medina is guilty of any offense in the multi-objective conspiracy count. The only relevant evidence the government presented against Medina at trial was Abanto's testimony and videos. He testified that she would exchange checks for cash when Carlos Gonzalez, her boss, was unavailable. The checks all bore Gonzalez's signature. The government argues that Medina made statements on the recordings that incriminate her. 44 The only questionable statement Medina made that the government presented was when she told Abanto, We need the money by Tuesday because people are coming. However, when asked on cross to whom Medina was referring, Abanto testified that she only meant her boss, Carlos Gonzalez. If we take Medina's statement in the light most favorable to the jury's verdict, as our review requires, we can infer that she also referred to patient recruiters when she said people are coming. However, this evidence is still not sufficient for conviction. This statement in no way acknowledges that she is aware that the cash is needed to pay illegal kickbacks rather than for paying lawful United associates. Also worthy of note, Abanto testified that Medina was not aware of the kickback conspiracy, and that Gonzalez told her to leave the room whenever they discussed the details of the scheme. When asked, Abanto said that Medina was just a secretary. 45 Since there is not sufficient evidence to support the guilty verdict as to Medina of conspiracy to pay kickbacks, we must look to the other two objectives of the conspiracy. The other two objectives of the charged conspiracy are (1) to defraud the United States, and (2) to commit health care fraud. As discussed previously, upon a thorough review of the record, there is no evidence that Medina had any knowledge of any health care fraud, or participated in any scheme to defraud the U.S. government. 46 The government argues that Medina was the technician at United who prepared the compounded medications discussed previously. The argument is that since there was evidence that compounded medication was given to patients when Medicare was billed for manufactured medication, she is guilty of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Even if we put aside the fact that the evidence in the record is not sufficient to sustain a conviction as to anyone for health care fraud on this ground, Medina's actions in preparing the compounded medication would still not be sufficient to establish her part in a conspiracy. There is no evidence in the record that shows Medina was preparing the compounded medication with knowledge that manufactured medication was actually being prescribed. Thus, there is insufficient evidence to show Medina's knowing participation in a conspiracy to defraud the United States or commit health care fraud. Based on this record, the government offers no other relevant evidence as to any of Medina's actions that would show her participation in a conspiracy for any of the three objectives charged. Therefore, we vacate Medina's conviction as to the multi-objective conspiracy count.