Opinion ID: 4561169
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Conspiracy Against the United States

Text: To convict a defendant of conspiring to commit an offense against the United States under 18 U.S.C. § 371, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt “(1) an agreement between two or more persons to pursue an unlawful objective; (2) the defendant’s knowledge of the unlawful objective and voluntary agreement to join the conspiracy; and (3) an overt act by one or more of the members of the conspiracy in furtherance of the objective of the conspiracy.” United States v. Mauskar, 557 F.3d 219, 229 (5th Cir. 2009) (quoting United States v. Williams, 507 F.3d 905, 910 n.4 (5th Cir. 2007)). The “unlawful objective[s]” at issue here are violating the AntiKickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b), and defrauding a health care benefit program, 18 U.S.C. § 1347(a). On appeal, Dr. Golding’s only argument is that, even taken in the light most favorable to the jury verdict, “no actual kickbacks can be proven by the Government given the evidence in this case.” Instead, Dr. Golding claims all of the payments he received from Allegiance were “for a legitimate purpose.” But Count 1 did not charge Dr. Golding with substantively violating the Anti-Kickback Statute or committing health care fraud, rather it charged him with conspiring to commit said crimes under 18 U.S.C. § 371. Because a conviction under § 371 does not require the successful completion of the “unlawful objective[s],” here either receiving illegal kickbacks or defrauding a health care benefit program, Dr. Golding’s sole argument on appeal, that he did not receive a kickback, is unavailing. See Iannelli v. United States, 420 U.S. 770, 777–78 (1975) (“Conspiracy is an inchoate offense, the essence -4- of which is an agreement to commit an unlawful act. . . . [A] conspiracy poses distinct dangers quite apart from those of the substantive offense.”). And at no point does Dr. Golding argue that either the existence of the conspiracy itself or his involvement in it was insufficiently proven. But even if he had, there was abundant evidence that he actively participated in the conspiracy and knew it was wrong. The government presented evidence establishing Dr. Golding entered an agreement with Camillo, the part-owner and manager of Allegiance, and eventually others, to create a medical testing lab that made money through illegal kickbacks. Camillo had approached the government with information regarding Dr. Golding and testified extensively at trial after entering a proffer arrangement and cooperation agreement. During the trial testimony, Camillo explained how in 2009 he and Dr. Golding agreed to open Allegiance in the basement of the building Dr. Golding owned. Camillo and Dr. Golding created a business plan by which Dr. Golding could be “involved” in three different ways with the lab while maintaining its independence to test samples from other medical providers. One plan provision involved Dr. Golding’s attorney serving as part-owner rather than Dr. Golding himself — although Camillo “knew that his attorney would probably be sharing those benefits with [Dr. Golding].” The second two sources of involvement for Dr. Golding would be payment of a medical director fee ($1,000 per month) and rent for the space ($2,000 per month). In exchange, Allegiance would receive Dr. Golding’s “goodwill,” that is, Dr. Golding agreed to send his patients to Allegiance for their services. This “goodwill” or referral of specimens was a condition of the partnership. The government offered into evidence photocopies of the 22 checks Dr. Golding received from Allegiance from 2009 to 2012. Several of these checks were signed by Camillo with a memo line indicating they were payment for Dr. Golding’s medical director duties. Camillo testified that Dr. Golding ceased performing any of his director duties around the time the first of these checks was made out — but the payments continued. According to Camillo, these payments were made “for [Dr. -5- Golding’s] goodwill and [his] sending patients to the laboratory.” Camillo also explicitly testified he was aware, as early as November of 2009, that federal law prohibited “a provider such as Dr. Golding” from being able to “solicit or receive payment in return for referring his business to a Medicare facility or service.” Nonetheless, Camillo testified that claims from Allegiance were submitted to both Medicare and Medicaid by Allegiance. Camillo testified Dr. Golding was paid $20 for every specimen sent to Allegiance, including referrals for which Allegiance “actually received reimbursement” from Medicare or Medicaid. In light of this evidence, we will not disturb the jury’s determination that Dr. Golding was guilty of the conspiracy charge.