Opinion ID: 726055
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Count 30: Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud

Text: 57 Finally, the evidence was sufficient to support the Amiels' convictions for conspiring with Coffaro, Wallace, and Groeger to commit mail fraud. (Count 30). To obtain a conspiracy conviction, the government must prove that there was an agreement between two or more participants to achieve a particular illegal end. United States v. Stavroulakis, 952 F.2d 686, 690 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 504 U.S. 926, 112 S.Ct. 1982, 118 L.Ed.2d 580 (1992). The agreement need not be shown to have been explicit. It can instead be inferred from the facts and circumstances of the case. Iannelli v. United States, 420 U.S. 770, 777 n. 10, 95 S.Ct. 1284, 1289 n. 10, 43 L.Ed.2d 616 (1975). A tacit understanding will suffice to show agreement for purposes of a conspiracy conviction. There need not be any written statement or even a speaking of words which expressly communicates agreement. 2 Wayne R. LaFave & Austin W. Scott, Jr., Substantive Criminal Law § 6.4, at 71 (1986). Furthermore, the participants in a conspiracy need not be fully aware of the details of the venture so long as they agree on the essential nature of the plan. Stavroulakis, 952 F.2d at 690. Finally, evidence sufficient to link a particular defendant to a conspiracy  'need not be overwhelming.'  United States v. Atehortva, 17 F.3d 546, 550 (2d Cir.1994) (quoting United States v. Rivera, 971 F.2d 876, 891 (2d Cir.1992)), and may be demonstrated by circumstantial evidence. Id. 58 The above discussion demonstrates that there was sufficient evidence from which the jury could infer that there was at least a tacit agreement between the Amiels and their dealers that the Amiels would provide fake artwork, and that the dealers would pass it off to the public as genuine. This suffices for a conviction for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. 59 Finally, the Amiels make several arguments based on the abstract nature and value of art. Most of these arguments get at the same point: authenticity is a matter of wide interpretation, and it is therefore impossible to say that the art at issue was fake. We find this argument to be completely meritless. It might be difficult to determine whether some art is genuine, but not when Sarina Amiel is forging artists' signatures. 60 In conclusion, the government presented sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to find all of the elements of mail fraud and conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt.