Opinion ID: 4534671
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sufficiency of evidence as to Emordi

Text: Emordi moved for a judgment of acquittal, so we review the sufficiency of the evidence de novo. United States v. Perez-Ceballos, 907 F.3d 863, 866–67 (5th Cir. 2018). This review, though, is “highly deferential to the verdict. The relevant question is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” United States v. Kuhrt, 788 F.3d 403, 413 (5th Cir. 2015) (citation omitted). We ask only if the verdict was reasonable, not whether it was correct. Id. Nonetheless, it should not stand if the Government has merely “pile[d] inference upon inference to prove guilt.” United States v. Waguespack, 935 F.3d 322, 330 (5th Cir. 2019), cert. denied, 140 S. Ct. 827 (2020). Emordi was charged with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 and 1349. The elements of healthcare-fraud conspiracy are (1) the existence of an agreement between two or more people to pursue the offense of fraud; (2) knowledge of the agreement; and (3) voluntary participation. See United States v. Barson, 845 F.3d 159, 163 (5th Cir. 2016). Knowledge and voluntary participation may be inferred from surrounding circumstances and a defendant need not have been the one to have personally submitted the necessary forms to be guilty. Id. at 163–64. Emordi argues the evidence was not sufficient to support the jury’s finding that he knew of and voluntarily joined the conspiracy. Essentially, Emordi argues the evidence showed only that the other defendants carried out the conspiracy, not that Emordi knew about it or was involved. According to Emordi, the evidence established that he did nothing to conceal his role at Elder Care but instead simply showed up to work and received paychecks. The Government, though, identifies evidence that Emordi knew he was excluded from working at a Medicare/Medicaid provider. Evidence of that 7 Case: 19-10400 Document: 00515416830 Page: 8 Date Filed: 05/14/2020 No. 19-10400 knowledge supported that he must also have known his working at Elder Care was in some way being concealed. This knowledge, combined with Okwilagwe’s and Etti’s undisputed concealment of Emordi’s role, demonstrates concerted action from which a reasonable jury could conclude there was no reasonable doubt that Emordi knew of and joined in the conspiracy. The Government also discusses that almost immediately after Emordi and Okwilagwe were excluded for the same underlying fraudulent conduct, payments from Elder Care started to be made to Emordi’s wife instead of to him, and that he was evasive during the FBI investigation. Emordi conceded he was excluded and should not have been working at Elder Care. The evidence we have summarized was sufficient for a reasonable jury to find, as this one did, that Emordi knew of and joined the conspiracy.