Opinion ID: 213536
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hall's Role in the Scheme

Text: Hall's role dated to 2002, when, as he later admitted, he submitted a fraudulent claim in the Nasdaq Class Action. In that claim, he falsely stated that he had traded more than 19 million shares of Nasdaq listed securities. As recompense, Hall received $507,910.99, of which he wired $200,000 to Waltzer and $100,000 to Penta as their shares of the theft. The government alleged that Hall also participated in making other fraudulent claims, and the initial Presentence Investigation Report in his case (the PSR) contained an outline of his involvement in those claims. More particularly, based on information obtained from Waltzer, Paragraph 45 of the PSR stated that Hall had assisted Waltzer by impersonating representatives of fake companies that were used for submitting claims. For instance, after a $2,144,778.85 check issued for a claim filed in the Cendant Class Action on behalf of a fake company called Far East Trading, LLC (Far East), Hall posed as a fictional partner in Far East, contacted the bank in which the funds were deposited, and authorized Waltzer to receive the proceeds of the check on behalf of Far East. As described later in greater detail, the District Court struck Paragraph 45 from the PSR before sentencing Hall.