United States v. Schwimmer

692 F. Supp. 119, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6489, 1988 WL 67627
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 14, 1988
Docket87 CR 423(S)
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 692 F. Supp. 119 (United States v. Schwimmer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Schwimmer, 692 F. Supp. 119, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6489, 1988 WL 67627 (E.D.N.Y. 1988).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

McLAUGHLIN, District Judge.

Codefendants Martin Schwimmer and Mario Renda are charged in an eighty-nine count superseding indictment with violations of various federal criminal statutes. They move to suppress physical evidence or, in the alternative, for a hearing on these motions. In addition, Schwimmer moves to dismiss or sever one count of the indictment, and for further discovery and a bill of particulars.

*121 I. Schwimmer’s Motion to Dismiss or Sever Count 79 of the Superseding Indictment

A. Facts

On July 29, 1986, Schwimmer was charged in a one-count indictment with obstruction of justice in connection with a grand jury investigation. See Indictment, United States v. Schwimmer, 86 CR 528 (JMcL). The indictment charged that a special grand jury had been empanelled to investigate possible federal criminal violations by members and associates of the Lucchese Crime Family. The grand jury was allegedly investigating transactions that occurred in 1983 and 1984 in which Frank Manzo, Leone Manzo, and William Barone, who were Lucchese members and associates, purchased and sold $250,000 in bearer bonds issued by Sullivan County, New York. Schwimmer allegedly furnished the grand jury with a false document concerning these transactions.

Prior to trial, Schwimmer moved to dismiss the indictment. This motion was denied. United States v. Schwimmer, 649 F.Supp. 544, 547-48 (E.D.N.Y.1986).

Trial began on January 12, 1987. At the close of the Government’s case, Schwimmer moved for a judgment of acquittal under Fed.R.Crim.P. 29(a). The motion was denied.

On January 24, 1987 the jury was discharged without having reached a verdict. Schwimmer then moved for a judgment of acquittal under Fed.R.Crim.P. 29(c). This motion also was denied.

On July 27, 1987 a superseding indictment was filed against Schwimmer and Mario Renda. The indictment alleges that Schwimmer was a financial consultant to, and agent of, First United Fund, Ltd. (“First United”) and that Renda was president and owner of First United and First United Financial Corporation, which wholly owned First United. Schwimmer is also alleged to have been a fiduciary of employee benefit plans affiliated with Local 38 of the Sheetmetal Workers International Association of the AFL-CIO (“Local 38”) and Local 810 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chaffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America (“Local 810”).

The gravamen of the superseding indictment is that Schwimmer and Renda invested funds from the employee benefit plans of both unions in long-term certificates of deposit (“CDs”) issued by banks and savings and loan associations throughout the United States. The defendants allegedly diverted over $14 million in illegal payments derived from the investments to off-the-books accounts that were concealed from First United’s auditors and the benefit plans’ trustees, employees, and beneficiaries. The indictment also alleges that the defendants used part of this money to pay kickbacks to Local 810 officials, as well as for defendants’ self-enrichment.

Count 1 alleges a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1968. This count alleges the existence of an enterprise, a racketeering conspiracy, and a pattern of racketeering activity. Eighty-five predicate acts are alleged. Predicate Acts 1 through 32 concern investments made with Local 38 plan funds. Predicate Acts 33 through 82 concern investments made with Local 810 plan funds. Predicate Act 83 alleges kickbacks made to Local 810 officials. Predicate Act 84 alleges that Renda embezzled funds from Local 810. Finally, Predicate Act 85 repeats the obstruction of justice charge for which Schwimmer was indicted in 1986.

The racketeering predicate acts alleged in Count 1 form the basis of most of the other eighty-eight counts in the superseding indictment. Counts 2 through 31 reallege and incorporate Predicate Acts 3 through 32. Counts 32 through 77 reallege and incorporate Predicate Acts 36 through 52 and 54 through 82. Counts 2 through 77 allege racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 1954. Count 78 incorporates Predicate Act 84, the embezzlement charge against Renda, and alleges a violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 644. Count 79 incorporates Predicate Act 85, the obstruction of justice charge against Schwimmer, and alleges a violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 1503.

*122 Count 80 alleges a conspiracy by the defendants to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Finally, Counts 81 through 89 allege tax evasion by both defendants, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2 and 26 U.S.C. § 7201.

Schwimmer’s motions focus on Count 79. He first moves under Fed.R.Crim.P. 14 to try Count 79 separately from the other counts in the superseding indictment. Schwimmer argues that the Government will seek to prove Count 79 by introducing evidence that Schwimmer was involved with organized crime figures. He argues that the stigma arising from such allegations will prejudice his ability to defend himself on the other counts. He asserts that Count 79 arises from a separate scheme than that alleged in the other counts, and could be tried quickly and efficiently, as it was in January 1987. Schwimmer moves in the alternative for dismissal of Count 79.

B. Discussion

I will first address the motion to dismiss. The Court has thrice entertained such a motion. Prior to trial, it rejected Schwimmer’s argument that the obstruction of justice charge, as framed in the indictment, was legally insufficient. During and after trial, it rejected Schwimmer’s argument that the evidence could not support a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The present motion asserts nothing more than did the three previous ones. Schwimmer does not argue that the substantive law has changed since his first motion was denied. He also fails to allege any new facts in support of his motion for a judgment of acquittal. After reviewing the record, I remain unpersuaded that the motion to dismiss should be granted.

I now turn to Schwimmer’s motion for a separate trial of Count 79. Schwimmer does not contend that Count 79 was improperly joined in the superseding indictment under Fed.R.Crim.P.

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Bluebook (online)
692 F. Supp. 119, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6489, 1988 WL 67627, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-schwimmer-nyed-1988.