Opinion ID: 3090871
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Adequacy of Count One (Simpson)

Text: Simpson first argues that the indictment was too indefinite on Count One. We review the sufficiency of the indictment de novo. United States v. Cooper, 714 F.3d 873, 876 (5th Cir. 2013). “An indictment is legally sufficient if (1) each count contains the essential elements of the offense charged, (2) the elements are described with particularity, and (3) the charge is specific enough to protect the defendant against a subsequent prosecution for the same offense.” Id. at 877 (5th Cir. 2013) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting United States v. Threadgill, 172 F.3d 357, 366 (5th Cir. 1999)). Simpson does not describe these standards or explain how they are not met, but generally argues that the indictment purports to cover a single seven-year conspiracy by various different groups of co-conspirators to defraud multiple entities, but that no overarching agreement is described. We find that the indictment met the required standards. The elements of conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 are: (1) two or more persons made an agreement to commit an unlawful act; (2) the defendant knew the unlawful purpose of the agreement; and (3) the defendant joined in the agreement willfully, with the intent to further the unlawful purpose. See United States v. Grant, 683 F.3d 639, 643 (5th Cir. 2012). “An agreement may be inferred from concert of action, voluntary participation may be inferred from a collection of 4 Case: 12-10574 Document: 00512501580 Page: 5 Date Filed: 01/15/2014 No. 12-10574 circumstances, and knowledge may be inferred from surrounding circumstances.” Id. (quoting United States v. Stephens, 571 F.3d 401, 404 (5th Cir. 2009)). The elements of mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341 are: “(1) a scheme to defraud; (2) use of the mails to execute the scheme; and (3) the specific intent to defraud.” Id. The elements of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 are: “(1) a scheme to defraud and (2) the use of, or causing the use of, wire communications in furtherance of the scheme.” United States v. Stalnaker, 571 F.3d 428, 436 (5th Cir. 2009). Count One contained the essential elements of the wire and mail fraud conspiracy offenses, and described them with sufficient particularity and specificity. It stated the manner and means of the conspiracy, including, inter alia, that defendants acted in concert to make false representations to obtain services and property, create and use shell companies to hide identities and relationships, and use false postal addresses, and took various other steps to hide their true identities and their relationships to the various involved companies. The indictment listed over 140 overt acts as part of the conspiracy, including fraudulent misrepresentations by Simpson in mailings, emails and telephone calls in furtherance of the scheme. Count One is broad, describing many instances of wire and mail fraud by the defendants, but it is not vague or indefinite.