Opinion ID: 3176014
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Heading: elements of macena’s offenses

Text: To convict a defendant of a false claims conspiracy to defraud the government under 18 U.S.C. § 286, the government must prove “the existence of an agreement to achieve an unlawful objective, the defendant’s knowing and voluntary participation in the conspiracy, and the commission of an overt act in furtherance of it.” United States v. Baldwin, 774 F.3d 711, 721 (11th Cir. 2014) (quotation marks omitted), cert. denied, 135 S. Ct. 1882 (2015). The unlawful objective of a § 286 conspiracy is to defraud the federal government “by obtaining or aiding to obtain the payment or allowance of any false, fictitious or fraudulent 3 Case: 14-14915 Date Filed: 02/09/2016 Page: 4 of 10 claim[.]” 18 U.S.C. § 286. The extent of knowledge of details in the conspiracy does not matter if the proof shows the defendant knew the essential objective of the conspiracy. Baldwin, 774 F.3d at 721. To convict a defendant of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, the government must prove that the defendant: (1) participated in a scheme or artifice to defraud; (2) with the intent to defraud; and (3) used, or caused the use of, interstate wire transmissions for the purpose of executing the scheme or artifice to defraud. Martin, 803 F.3d at 588. Wire fraud can be proved by circumstantial evidence. Id. A person “causes” the wires to be used within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, when he acts with knowledge that the use of the wires will follow in the ordinary course of business, or where such use can reasonably be foreseen, even though not actually intended. United States v. Ward, 486 F.3d 1212, 1222 (11th Cir. 2007). To convict a defendant of aggravated identity theft under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A, the government must prove that the defendant: (1) knowingly transferred, possessed, or used; (2) the means of identification of another person; (3) without lawful authority; (4) during and in relation to a felony enumerated in § 1028A(c). United States v. Barrington, 648 F.3d 1178, 1192 (11th Cir. 2011). Wire fraud is one of the enumerated felonies in § 1028A(c). 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(c)(5). With respect to mens rea, the government must also show that the defendant knew the 4 Case: 14-14915 Date Filed: 02/09/2016 Page: 5 of 10 means of identification at issue belonged to another person. United States v. Doe, 661 F.3d 550, 561 (11th Cir. 2011).