United States v. Munoz Franco

307 F. Supp. 2d 340, 2004 WL 383237
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedFebruary 27, 2004
DocketCriminal 95-386(DRD)
StatusPublished

This text of 307 F. Supp. 2d 340 (United States v. Munoz Franco) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Munoz Franco, 307 F. Supp. 2d 340, 2004 WL 383237 (prd 2004).

Opinion

AMENDED SENTENCING OPINION AND ORDER

DOMINGUEZ, District Judge.

At the end of the hearing held on December 19, 2003, after the testimony of José B. Cantalapiedra, the former President of Banco Santander, the institution that acquired the assets of Caguas Central Federal Savings and Loan, the United States Assistant Attorney, María L. Dominguez Victoriano, announced that the United States would not be relying on the theory of “actual losses” but on the theory of “intended losses,” all under U.S.S.G. 2F1.1. The court determined that co-defendants had suffered no real prejudice by a change in theory since most of the evidence as to losses had entered into the record during the trial phase of the case 1 ; further the United States had the option under the guidelines to proceed “under actual or intended loss to the victim whichever is greater.” United States v. Edwards, 303 F.3d 606, 645 (5th Cir.2002); United States v. González-Alvarez, 277 F.3d 73, 77 (1st Cir.2003). (See Docket No. 1477.)

The court, however, granted the defendants a continuance enabling them to express their position to the United States Submission of Corrected Motion of Intended Loss, (Docket No. 1466), and Corrected Motion on Intended Loss for Sentencing Purposes, (Docket No. 1467). An initial continuance was granted because of the *344 extended Christmas holidays until January 7, 2004; finally because of unavailability of some of the counsel of defendants sentencing was resumed on February 4th, 5th, and 6th of 2004. (See Dockets No. 1482 and 1485.) The defendants had plenty of time to object to the submittal of intended loss filed by the United States. Co-defendants did in fact react to the submittal of the United States: Ariel Gutierrez, (Docket No. 1479); Dr. Francisco Sánchez-Aran, (Docket No. 1478); Dr. Francisco Sán-chez-Aran’s Response to Government’s Filings Outlining Unauthorized Financial Transactions, (Docket No. 1469); Lorenzo Muñoz Franco’s Objection to the Government’s Motion on Intended Loss and Motion for New Trial, (Docket No. 1468); defendant Ariel Gutierrez’ Motion for New Trial Based on Newly Discovered Evidence, (Docket No. 1487). The court shall abstain from ruling on the Motion for New Trial until certain pertinent testimony is transcribed.

The court is concerned about an argument raised by co-counsel for co-defendant Lorenz Muñoz Franco, Counsel R.J. Cinquegrana based on the case of United States v. Schneider, 930 F.2d 555, 558 (7th Cir.1991). The case of United States v. Schneider, supra, was adopted by the First Circuit in the case of United States v. Haggert, 980 F.2d 8, 12 (1st Cir.1992), describing the two types of fraudulent conduct:

The first type of fraud implicates the “true con artist,” who never intends to perform the undertaking, such as the terms of the contract or loan repayments, but who intends only to pocket the money without rendering any service in return. The second type of fraud involves a person who would not have attained the contract or loan but for the fraud, but who fully intends to perform. In the latter case, and only in the latter case, is the intended loss not to be considered for sentencing. (Emphasis ours.)
See also United States v. Blastos, 258 F.3d 25, 30 (1st Cir.2001).

Co-defendant alleges basically that the United States cannot return to “intended loss” because the President of the Bank and Chief Executive Officer, Lorenzo Mu-ñoz Franco, did not intend to do harm to the loan and wanted the loans to co-defendant Gutierrez (Modules’ loans) as well as the loans to Mirandez to work and be paid. Co-defendant Gutierrez joins alleging that the Modules loans, and the loans to other construction developers utilizing modules as the subcontractors all had intent to comply with payment with the loans provided by Caguas Federal. Hence, the second type of fraud described above, the culpable fraudulent party that “fully intends to perform ...” “the intended loss [calculous] cannot be considered for sentencing.”

The court starts the analysis reminding the parties that only intent to deceive is necessary and not intent to harm the bank in bank fraud cases. United States v. Kenrick, 221 F.3d 19, 26-29 (1st Cir.2000—en banc), cert. denied Kenrick v. United States, 531 U.S. 961, 121 S.Ct. 387, 148 L.Ed.2d 299 (2000) [t]he intent necessary for a bank fraud conviction is an intent to deceive the bank in order to obtain for it money or other property. Intent to harm is not required ...”

The court in the Opinion and Order entered on February 6, 2003, disposing of all then filed Rule 29 Motions, (Docket No. 1339), provided various examples of attempts to deceive the Board of Directors regulators and the government regulators carried on by co-defendants Muñoz-Fran-co and Sánchez-Aran. Further, the court provided various examples of preferential treatment provided which clearly denoted the conduct co-defendants Muñoz-Franco and Sánchez-Aran of intent to deceive. *345 Said conduct by co-defendants Muñoz-Franco/Sánchez-Aran leads to the conclusion under the standard now required of preponderance of evidence that the two co-defendants knew that the loan scheme would not work in the short and long run.

The court relates but a few examples:

1. Modules was not fulfilling its obligation to build units for those construction projects financed.
2. Modules was being paid for work which had not been completed (construction certifications paid that were not earned by completed work).
3. Modules was repaying prior unrelated loans for Caguas Central solely from new construction project loans earned by Caguas Central. The payment of prior loans (principal and interest) considerably weakened the ability to comply with the construction object of the loan. Consequently, there was no budget to fulfill construction requirements.
4. Loans were disbursed prior to approval of loans and/or prior to date of execution of the loan.
5. Loans were disbursed without Board’s approval.
6. Loans were disbursed ahead of Board’s approval (the Board subsequently was not advised of the advance).
7. Units were not delivered pursuant to the contract.
8. Nominee loans established to camouflage loans to Modules.
9.

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United States v. Stein
233 F.3d 6 (First Circuit, 2000)
United States v. Blastos
258 F.3d 25 (First Circuit, 2001)
United States v. Gonzalez-Alvarez
277 F.3d 73 (First Circuit, 2002)
United States v. Marvin Berkowitz
927 F.2d 1376 (Seventh Circuit, 1991)
United States v. Lloyd R. Haggert
980 F.2d 8 (First Circuit, 1992)
Stanley v. United States
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Kenrick v. United States
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Bluebook (online)
307 F. Supp. 2d 340, 2004 WL 383237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-munoz-franco-prd-2004.