Opinion ID: 3148929
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Loss-Amount Calculation

Text: Petersen also argues that the court double-counted the loss suffered by one of the victims and thus overstated the total loss by at least $683,000. Based on calculations asserted for the first time on appeal, he states that the correct loss amount should have earned him a 16-level sentencing enhancement, not the 18level enhancement shown in the presentence report and applied by the district court. 16 Case: 14-12577 Date Filed: 10/23/2015 Page: 17 of 18 We review the district court’s loss determination for clear error. See United States v. Grant, 431 F.3d 760, 762 (11th Cir. 2005). However, “a party may not challenge as error a ruling or other trial proceeding invited by that party.” United States v. Ross, 131 F.3d 970, 988 (11th Cir. 1997) (quotations omitted). Invited error exists when a party’s statements or actions induce the district court into making an error. United States v. Love, 449 F.3d 1154, 1157 (11th Cir. 2006). An insurmountable problem for Petersen is the fact that he not only failed to make this argument below, but he also acquiesced to the correctness of the loss calculation made by the district court. Specifically, prior to sentencing, defense counsel had expressed concern that victims who had invested in the Ponzi scheme, both individually and through corporate investor EMR, might receive double restitution under the wording of the proposed judgment. To eliminate that risk, Petersen’s counsel suggested that the district court strike “Spellmeyer” from the phrase “EMR/Spellmeyer” in the table of losses to clarify that EMR alone was entitled to restitution for the corresponding loss. Articulating no objection to the total loss amount, counsel said the court should enter the judgment with his proposed modification, and the court did so, making clear that the loss amount in the PSR remained unchanged. In fact, had Petersen wanted to object to the loss amount, the Government indicated that it had a witness prepared to testify about that amount. In short, even assuming that the district court erred in its calculation 17 Case: 14-12577 Date Filed: 10/23/2015 Page: 18 of 18 of loss, Petersen invited the error. Moreover, as discussed above with regard to the minor role adjustment, the district court indicated that its 60-month sentence was the sentence it would have imposed, based on § 3553 factors, regardless of the Guidelines calculations.