PRISCILLA R. OWEN, Circuit Judge:
This case arises from a mortgage fraud scheme. At the conclusion of a jury trial, Vincent Wallace Aldridge and Tori Elyse Aldridge (the Aldridges), and Gilbert Barry Isgar (collectively, Defendants) were convicted of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1349, aiding and abetting wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1343, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), and aiding and abetting money laundering under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2 and 1957. The Defendants appeal their convictions. We affirm.
The Defendants' convictions arose out of the sale of nine newly constructed town homes in the Memorial Park area of Houston, Texas. The properties at issue were in a development called "Maxie Village" and were built by Waterford Custom Homes. Isgar owned 50% of Waterford.
The closings were conducted by the First Southwestern Title Company (FSW), which was operated by the Aldridges and for whom Vincent Aldridge was also a fee attorney doing business as Aldridge & Associates. The Aldridges were both authorized signers on Aldridge & Associates' Interest Only Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA).
The Aldridges recruited three "straw purchasers" to buy eight of the townhomes. Vincent Aldridge purchased the ninth. The straw purchasers were individuals who wanted to invest in real estate and were told that they would receive $10,000 for each property they purchased; that they would not have to pay the mortgages because tenants would be found to lease the properties; and that after approximately
Isgar inflated the sale price of the properties through falsified construction invoices and amendments to the sales contracts. The lenders approved loans to purchase the properties at these inflated practices. When the lenders wired the loan amounts to FSW, disbursements were made to Isgar as payment for the properties. However, other disbursements were made to Aldridge & Associates' IOLTA as well as to Superb Construction that were not disclosed on the settlement statement to the lenders, as required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The United States mail, including interstate commercial carriers, and wire communications were used to execute this scheme. Loan documents traveled across state lines by facsimile, mail and email. Loan proceeds were wire transferred from the lenders' banks to FSW.
Also involved in the scheme were Alvin Eiland, a mortgage broker, and his employee, Gary Robinson. Robinson assisted Vincent Aldridge in forming Superb Construction, which laundered proceeds from these transactions. Both Eiland and Robinson have pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and are not parties to this appeal.
A federal grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging the Aldridges with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1349 (Count 1), aiding and abetting wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 1343 (Counts 2-12), conspiracy to engage in money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) (Count 13), and aiding and abetting money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 1957 (Counts 14-19). Isgar was named only in Counts 1-13. A jury returned a guilty verdict as to all three defendants on all counts.
The Defendants appeal their convictions on multiple grounds. Each asserts that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction. The Aldridges challenge subject matter jurisdiction and venue. They further contend that they are entitled to a new trial because certain FSW documents should not have been admitted, there was prosecutorial misconduct, and that the cumulative errors denied them a fair trial.
Each of the Defendants has challenged the sufficiency of the evidence. "Our review of the sufficiency of the evidence is highly deferential to the verdict."
Tori Aldridge argues that there was insufficient evidence that a prior conspiracy between her and Eiland or her and Robinson existed and asserts that no reasonable jury could find that a conspiracy existed after March 26, 2005. She contends that in every transaction with Eiland or Robinson, she received only the closing fees disclosed on the HUD form. She points to evidence that she suggests exonerates her. A review of the record, however, reveals ample evidence from which the jury could have reasonably concluded that Tori Aldridge acted with the intent to further the fraudulent scheme.
At trial, Robinson testified that Tori Aldridge prepared the falsified paperwork concerning a straw purchaser's income and intent to use the property as a primary residence. He explained that he received and returned the paperwork to her. One of the straw purchasers, Shawn Stevens, testified that in the documents he signed in purchasing two of the Maxie Village town homes less than one month apart, Tori Aldridge attested that each would be used as his primary residence when in fact, neither would be or actually was used as a residence by him. Tori Aldridge notarized documents that stated Stevens had face-to-face meetings with her when that was false, and she attested that signatures and initials on loan documentation were those of Stevens, though Stevens testified that those signatures and initials were forgeries. One witness stated that Tori Aldridge had expressly directed her to draft a statement lying about her income. Tori Aldridge's signature was on this falsified paperwork. A witness from one of the lenders also verified that Tori Aldridge had signed the closing paperwork, attesting to the accuracy of the information provided therein. There was sufficient evidence from which a jury could conclude that Tori Aldridge was an active participant in the fraudulent scheme.
Isgar argues that the Government failed to present sufficient evidence that he was a knowing participant in the fraud. He cites United States v. Curtis
Isgar is mistaken that Curtis requires proof of an appraisal to support a conviction for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Here, there was circumstantial evidence supporting Isgar's knowing participation in the fraud. Robinson testified that Isgar's role in the scheme required that Isgar "be okay with inflating the price." FBI Agent Robert McCallum also testified that Isgar handled the day-to-day business affairs of Waterford and that Isgar had signed the disbursements to the Aldridge's IOLTA and to Superb Construction. Isgar's own statements support the inference that he was a knowing participant. Isgar explained to Agent McCallum that "the sales prices of the properties had been raised" and supported in the documentation with construction repair invoices or amendments added to the sales contracts giving the purchaser a $60,000 allowance to pay the contractor of the purchaser's choice to make repairs. There was evidence that $60,000 in construction repairs or upgrades to the Maxie Village newly constructed town homes was unnecessary.
Isgar admitted to FBI agents that with regard to the town home Isgar sold to Vincent Aldridge, Isgar made a disbursement to Aldridge the day after the sale closed, and Isgar said that he knew that he should not have done so. Isgar also participated in disbursements to Superb Construction Company, the entity formed by Vincent Aldridge but opened under Robinson's name. No legitimate purpose for the disbursements to Superb Construction Company was evident.
Isgar was also a licensed real estate agent. Though he knew that the value of the units was inflated, he always received his full asking price and no negotiation with buyers was necessary. His company, Waterford, made approximately $30,000 to $60,000 in profit on each sale.
Isgar's contention that this statement was insufficient to demonstrate his knowing participation goes to the weight of the evidence, and "[t]he jury retains the sole authority to weigh any conflicting evidence."
Vincent Aldridge challenges the sufficiency of the evidence underlying his convictions for conspiracy to commit money laundering under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(h) and 1957. The jury was instructed that the transfers of money from FSW to the Aldridges's IOLTA account had to involve "proceeds" of an unlawful activity, and the district court instructed the jury that "proceeds" was limited to the "profits," not "gross receipts," of unlawful activity. Aldridge argues that the money deposited in the IOLTA account was used to pay two of the straw purchasers and to make mortgage payments on the town homes and that accordingly, the funds were used to further the conspiracy and were not profits retained by him.
Vincent Aldridge relies on United States v. Santos.
We rejected this argument in United States v. Kennedy.
In the present case, the Government presented evidence that Isgar inflated the sales prices of the properties through fraudulent construction invoices and amendments to the sales contracts such that the subsequent disbursement of the amounts in excess of the actual price constituted only profits. Second, the Government also demonstrated that the $10,000 payments to straw purchasers were given at least in part to encourage them to invest again, and that the disbursements to both the Aldridges's IOLTA and Superb Construction were unsupported by consideration but were instead
Tori Aldridge contends that the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the wire fraud counts. She argues that, because state law required the wire transmissions at issue in this case, the transmissions could not have been unlawful. She asserts, "federal jurisdiction is improper as a matter of law." We disagree.
Our review of subject matter jurisdiction is de novo.
Tori Aldridge also contends that venue was improper in the Southern District of Texas for the wire fraud charges. However, she has waived any objection to venue. Although a defendant may challenge venue in a motion for judgment for acquittal pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29,
Each of the Aldridges asserts that the district court abused its discretion in admitting FSW documents concerning the real estate transactions at issue.
The witness presenting the foundation for the admission of a record need not be the "author of the record or be able to personally attest to its accuracy."
Tori Aldridge argues that the prosecutor engaged in misconduct that requires reversal but recognizes that because there was no contemporaneous objection at trial, our review is for plain error.
The documents at issue were used by the prosecution in connection with evidence of the purchase of town homes by Shawn Stevens, one of the straw purchasers. Tori Aldridge also contends that the prosecutor failed to correct Stevens's misstatement on direct examination as to the amount of money disbursed to Tori Aldridge in connection with Stevens's purchase of these properties, and contends that the prosecutor "doubled down on the uncorrected, false testimony." When asked by the district court as to the accuracy of Stevens's statements about proceeds disbursements, the prosecutor said, "I think it is [accurate], Your Honor. I will double check on that for you."
We hold there is no plain error. First, with regard to the documents at issue, there was considerable evidence regarding a conspiracy in which Tori Aldridge participated, including testimony from Stevens in which he confirmed that he was a purchaser of properties in Maxie Village and the facts surrounding his involvement. We are not persuaded that there is a reasonable probability that the jury would have failed to convict Tori Aldridge had the government not used the documents at issue.
Tori Aldridge asserts that the district court erred by constructively amending her indictment. Because she failed to contemporaneously object to the alleged constructive amendment of her indictment, we review her objection for plain error.
Specifically, Aldridge alleges that the district court impermissibly allowed evidence of her role as a broker and of her fiduciary duties to support an alternative theory of honest services under § 1346 rather than the indicted charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud
We reject Tori Aldridge's assertion that the district court abused its discretion by denying her motion for new trial and request for an evidentiary hearing.
We do not consider the merits of Tori's ineffective assistance of counsel claim. "Sixth Amendment claims of ineffective assistance of counsel should not be litigated on direct appeal, unless they were previously presented to the trial court."
Tori Aldridge argues that cumulative error denied her a fair trial. She cites to all the alleged errors discussed above to support this theory, as well as to her arguments concerning the sufficiency of the evidence. "The cumulative error doctrine provides for reversal when an aggregation of non-reversible errors, i.e., plain and harmless errors that do not individually warrant reversal, cumulatively deny a defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial."
Vincent Aldridge raises two issues regarding his sentence. He first asserts that 63 months of imprisonment, which was within the properly-calculated Guidelines range of 63 to 78 months, was unreasonable. Because Aldridge failed to object in the district court on this basis, we review for plain error.
Aldridge argues that the district court abused its discretion in calculating the amount of restitution owed pursuant to the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act.