United States v. Denunzio

123 F. Supp. 3d 135, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107290, 2015 WL 4886051
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedAugust 14, 2015
DocketCriminal No. 14-10284-NMG
StatusPublished

This text of 123 F. Supp. 3d 135 (United States v. Denunzio) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Denunzio, 123 F. Supp. 3d 135, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107290, 2015 WL 4886051 (D. Mass. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER RE: DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO COMPEL AND REQUEST FOR EVIDENTIARY HEARING (DOCK- ■ ■ ET ENTRY # 168)

BOWLER, United States Magistrate Judge

Defendants Dustin J. DeNunzio (“defendant DeNunzio”), Anthony Gattineri (“defendant Gattineri”) and Charles A. Light-body (“defendant Lightbody”), (collectively “defendants”) move to compel two categories of exculpatory evidence under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) (“Brady”). (Docket Entry # 168). The government opposes production. (Docket Entry # 178)."

The first category consists of purportedly exculpatory material evidencing that Wynn Resorts, Ltd. (“Wynn”) knew .that defendant Lightbody, a convicted felon, held an ownership interest in a parcel of land in Everett, Massachusetts. Defendants reason that if Wynn knew about defendant Lightbody’s interest before it signed an option agreement, then defendant Lightbody’s interest was not material to its decision to purchase the property. The Indictment charges inter alia that, as part of a conspiracy, defendánts concealed defendant Lightbody’s financial interest from Wynn via materially false representations transmitted through wire communications from December 2012 through July 2013. Defendants therefore move to compel documents and information relating to Wynn’s knowledge of defendant Light-body’s historical and continued interest in the Everett parcel.1

The second category concerns , any evidence and information regarding an al[138]*138leged incident that occurred in the fall of 2013 and involved Joseph Flaherty (“Flah-erty”) and' Stephen Matthews (“Matthews”), both former members of the Massachusetts State Police. Defendants maintain that unidentified “members of the Massachusetts State Police and/or the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office” allowed Flaherty and Matthews “access to files concerning an ongoing joint state and federal investigation of the Defendants.” (Docket Entry # 168) (emphasis added). The files were housed at a secure location “where wiretaps aré performed” in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. (Docket Entry # 181-2). The location is “often referred to as the wiretap room.” (Docket Entry # 181-2). Defendants submit that Flaherty and' Matthews' worked for Wynn and that their access to the wiretap room made them “part of the investigatory téam in this matter.” (Docket Entry # 168). Because allowing these individuals, as members of the investigatory team, access to the wiretap room “probably amounts to a violation of Massachusetts criminal law,” evidence relating to the incident is exculpatory, according to defendants. (Docket Entry # 168). Defendants additionally argue " that allowing Flaherty and Matthews, as civilians and private investigators, access to the wiretap room “raises serious concerns” and likewise probably amounts to a violation of Massachusetts criminal law, particularly in light of Flaherty’s acknowledgment. that he worked for Wynn in October, and November 2013. (Docket Entry ## 169, 181, 178-2). Defendants also “request an evi-dentiary hearing on the apparent agency relationship^ between Matthews and Flah-erty and the joint state/federal investigation team.”, (Docket Entry # 169).

BACKGROUND2

The Indictment charges defendants with wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, aiding and abetting wire'fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2 and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1371.3 As set out in the Indictment, from December 2012 to July 2013 defendants conspired to conceal defendant Light-body’s ownership interest in the Everett parcel from Wynn and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (“MGC”) “to obtain money from Wynn for the Everett Parcel.” (Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 16). Defendants purportedly knew that defendant Lightbody’s financial interest in the Everett parcel, given his criminal history, would adversely impact negotiations by FBT Everett, LLC (“FBT”), which held title to the parcel, for “an option agreement” and “Wynn’s ability to secure” a casino license. (Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 16). The Indictment further states that defendants obtained money by transmitting materially false representations in an email to Wynn’s General Counsel that only defendant DeNunzio, defendant Gat-tineri and another individual had interests in FBT. (Docket Entry # 3, ¶¶ 19, 30, 47).

Beginning in December 2012, defendants had defendant Lightbody’s name “removed from FBT ownership, documents” even though he “retained a financial interest” in the parcel. .(Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 17). At the same time, defendant DeNunzio “asked FBT’s attorney to draft paperwork” reflecting a transfer of defendant Lightbody’s ownership interest to defendant Gattineri “in exchange for a $1.7 million promissory note.” (Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 17). Between December 1 and 19, 2012, defendant DeNunzio “asked FBT’s attorney to tell Wynn’s representatives [139]*139that” defendant Lightbody “no longer had an interest or was transferring his interest” in the Everett parcel to FBT. (Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 26).

On December 19, 2012, Wynn and FBT entered into the option agreement. (Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 12). The agreement required Wynn to pay FBT $100,000 each “month for the right to purchase the Everett Parcel” in the event MGC awarded Wynn a “destination resort casino license.” (Docket Entry # 3, ¶ 12).

During this time period, Wynn was working with a public affairs consulting group known as ML Strategies, LLC (“ML Strategies”), “a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mintz Levin.” (Docket Entry ## 169-4, 169-5). ML Strategies, which had worked with Wynn for a number of years,4 served as a general advisor to Wynn’s “effort to secure a license ... in Massachusetts for a destination casino.” (Docket Entry # 169-4). Before signing the option agreement, ML Strategies helped Wynn identify potential sites for a casino, including a location in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Wynn “withdrew from that location” when it became clear that the Foxboro community and Foxboro officials were not interested in a casino. (Docket Entry # 169-4).

In or around the fall of 2012, Steven Tocci (“Tocci”), president of ML Strategies, explored a number of other locations for Wynn. “[S]ometime in the fall of 2012,” he became interested in the Everett parcel and reached out to Wynn regarding the location. (Docket Entry # 169-4). Wynn instructed Tocci to query Everett officials in order to avoid “go[ing] through the same experience that [Wynn] had in Fox-boro.” (Docket Entry # 169-4). Having received a receptive response, Tocci believed the site “was worth a visit by the Wynn folks.” (Docket Entry # 169-4). Accordingly, Matt Maddox (“Maddox”) of Wynn, accompanied by Tocci, “took a quick look at the site” and the surrounding area.

Later in the fall, Tocci and Maddox returned to the site and met with defendant DeNunzio and Paul Lohnes. (“Lohnes”), another owner,5 at or near the property. Meeting with two of the owners at or near the property demonstrates that Wynn was seriously considering locating a casino on the Everett parcel.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
Giglio v. United States
405 U.S. 150 (Supreme Court, 1972)
United States v. Bagley
473 U.S. 667 (Supreme Court, 1985)
Kyles v. Whitley
514 U.S. 419 (Supreme Court, 1995)
Neder v. United States
527 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1999)
United States v. Rivera-Rodriguez
617 F.3d 581 (First Circuit, 2010)
United States v. Rodriguez
162 F.3d 135 (First Circuit, 1998)
United States v. Brassard
212 F.3d 54 (First Circuit, 2000)
United States v. Blastos
258 F.3d 25 (First Circuit, 2001)
United States v. Bender
304 F.3d 161 (First Circuit, 2002)
Moreno-Morales v. United States
334 F.3d 140 (First Circuit, 2003)
United States v. Hall
434 F.3d 42 (First Circuit, 2006)
Lopez v. Commonwealth of MA
480 F.3d 591 (First Circuit, 2007)
United States v. Connolly
504 F.3d 206 (First Circuit, 2007)
United States v. Van Anh
523 F.3d 43 (First Circuit, 2008)
United States v. Bunchan
580 F.3d 66 (First Circuit, 2009)
United States v. Lorenzo Osorio
929 F.2d 753 (First Circuit, 1991)
United States v. Edison Misla-Aldarondo
478 F.3d 52 (First Circuit, 2007)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
123 F. Supp. 3d 135, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107290, 2015 WL 4886051, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-denunzio-mad-2015.