United States Third Circuit

A check kiting scheme involving only one bank, where the defendant moved funds between various accounts at that institution, still violates the bank fraud statute as long as the elements of bank fraud are satisfied. Defendants' convictions and sentences stemming from conspiracies involving, inter alia, mortgage fraud and bank fraud, are affirmed over claims of error regarding: 1) a refusal to strike a juror for cause; 2) denial of a motion for a judgment of acquittal on bank fraud convictions; 3) bank fraud jury instructions; 4) limitations on cross-examination of a government witness; 5) a confrontation clause challenge to documentary evidence; 6) sufficiency of the evidence; 7) misjoinder; 8) admission of rebuttal evidence; 9) prosecutorial misconduct; and 10) various claims of sentencing error.

Appellate Information

• Argued 04/10/2007
• Decided 01/14/2008
• Published 01/14/2008

Judges

• Before:  SMITH, NYGAARD, and HANSEN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• David W. Fassett, Esq. (argued), Arseneault Fassett & Mariano, LLP, Chatham, NJ, for Appellant Fernando Jimenez., Timothy M. Donohue, Esq., Arleo & Donohue, L.L.C., West Orange, NJ, for Appellant Ana Martell., Alain Leibman, Esq., Stern & Kilcullen, Roseland, NJ, for Appellant Kathy Giunta., Brian J. Neary, Esq., Hackensack, NJ, for Appellant Luis Nieves., Gerald Krovatin, Esq. (argued), Krovatin & Associates, LLC, Newark, NJ, for Appellant Rene Abreu.


• For Appellees:
  
• Christopher J. Christie, Esq., George S. Leone, Esq., Glenn J. Moramarco, Esq. (argued), United States Attorney Office, Newark, NJ, for Appellee.