United States v. Schwimmer

738 F. Supp. 654, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6745, 1990 WL 73667
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedMay 31, 1990
DocketNo. 87 CV 423(SS)
StatusPublished

This text of 738 F. Supp. 654 (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, 738 F. Supp. 654, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6745, 1990 WL 73667 (E.D.N.Y. 1990).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

McLAUGHLIN, District Judge.

PRIOR PROCEEDINGS

A jury convicted defendant of RICO conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d); receiving illegal payments to influence the operations of employee benefit plans, 18 U.S.C. § 1954; conspiracy to defraud the United States, 18 U.S.C § 371; and attempted tax evasion, 26 U.S.C § 7201. Defendant appealed his conviction, arguing that, among other things, he was entitled to a hearing “to determine whether his attorney-client, sixth amendment and work product privileges were violated by the use of information, documents and grand jury testimony furnished by an accountant hired to assist the attorneys representing Schwimmer and a co-defendant in the conduct of a joint defense.” United States v. Schwimmer, 892 F.2d 237, 238 (2d Cir.1989).

The Second Circuit remanded the case to this Court for a hearing and findings of fact concerning the privilege issue. Id. at 239. Specifically, the Court of Appeals directed this Court to determine whether the government’s case “was in any respect derived from a violation of the attorney-client privilege in regard to confidential communications passing from Schwimmer to Glick-man.” Id. at 245. If the answer is yes, I am then to determine “what use was made of the derivative information and whether a substantial right of the [defendant] was affected.” Id.

FACTS

Defendant Schwimmer’s conviction resulted from the government's investigation of First United Fund, Ltd. (“First United”), a Long Island brokerage firm engaged in placing certificates of deposit for small banking institutions. The facts surrounding the First United investigation and Schwimmer’s conviction have recently been reviewed in detail by the Second Circuit. See Schwimmer, 892 F.2d at 239-43. Familiarity with the Second Circuit’s opinion is presumed.

Defendant and his confederate, Mario Renda, were involved in a financial scheme. The scheme involved the funneling of commissions derived from benefit plan investment activities into six bank accounts known as the “off book accounts.” These accounts were not reflected on the books of First United and “were not reported to the Internal Revenue Service or First United’s outside accountants.” 892 F.2d at 240.

Defendant withdrew money from the off book accounts by negotiating checks from such accounts through cooperating cash-laden businesses. Businesses cashing checks included Nu-Service, All-County Tobacco, Crown Confection and various other entities owned by Allen Gouz.

In the early 1980’s the government began investigating First United, Schwimmer [656]*656and Mario Renda. Upon learning that they were subjects of an investigation, Schwim-mer and Renda each retained counsel. Schwimmer was represented by Robert S. Fink of Kostelanetz Ritholz Tigue & Fink. Mr. Renda was represented by Ronald Russo and Larry J. Silverman of Russo, Silver-man and Vitaliano.

Schwimmer, Renda and their counsel cooperated in matters of mutual concern, thereby conducting a “joint defense." 892 F.2d at 244. In June 1984 attorney Silver-man hired a certified public accountant, Ralph Glickman, to “analyze the financial transactions in which [Schwimmer and Ren-da] had engaged as well as the tax consequences of those transactions.” 892 F.2d at 241.

Schwimmer’s attorney, Robert S. Fink, instructed Schwimmer to “speak freely” with Glickman. The Second Circuit found that Schwimmer communicated with Glick-man orally and through counsel, but the Court made no finding as to the substance of such communications.

In October 1984 the government searched First United’s offices pursuant to a warrant. As a result of the search, Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Special Agent Francis R. Devine received various financial books and records, receipts, disbursement ledgers, cancelled checks, wire transfer documents, a listing of bank accounts and debit and credit memoranda. (Tr. II).1

In late 1985 or early 1986, agent Devine was joined in his investigation by IRS Special Agent Eugene L. Brozen. (Tr. 44). Agents Brozen and Devine centered their investigation on documentary material recovered from First United’s offices. (Tr. ID-

Through their field investigations and through inspection of the cancelled checks, agents Brozen and Devine were able to allocate proceeds from the off book accounts to the income of Schwimmer and Renda. (Tr. 60). Agents Brozen and De-vine then prepared a set of spreadsheets reflecting these allocations and the agents’ calculations. In May 1987 the spreadsheets were “submitted to Washington” so it could be determined what tax charges, if any, should be brought against Schwimmer and Renda. (Tr. 17, 86, 110).

On July 2, 1987 and July 27, 1987, accountant Glickman testified before the grand jury which ultimately indicted Schwimmer and Renda. This was Mr. Glickman’s first contact with the prosecution team. (Tr. 17-18, 47, 132).

During his grand jury testimony, Mr. Glickman asserted the attorney-client privilege when asked to describe the records he had examined at the behest of attorney Silverman. 892 F.2d at 241. Based on the attorney-client privilege, Mr. Glickman also refused to answer questions pertaining to “the 1984 tax return of a corporation known as ‘First United Air, Inc.’ ” Id.

Mr. Glickman did, however, testify before the grand jury that he provided commission figures for Renda’s 1983 and 1984 tax returns to Renda's accountant, David Cohen. Glickman also testified that those figures were based on an analysis he performed for attorney Silverman and on certain work papers (the “Work Papers”) that Glickman refused to discuss before the grand jury. 892 F.2d at 241.

Thereafter Mario Renda decided to plead guilty. In connection with Renda’s guilty plea, Glickman met with the prosecution on April 29, 1988 and May 6, 1988 to resolve the amount of forfeiture to be paid by Renda pursuant to his plea. Negotiations among the Government, Mr. Glickman, Mr. Renda and Renda’s counsel led to an agreement by the conclusion of the May 6 meeting. (Tr. 49, 135).

On August 18, 1988 a third meeting was held between Mr. Glickman and the prosecution. At this time Assistant United States Attorney Bruce Maffeo asked Glick-man to describe what information he used to prepare the Work Papers. (Tr. 137, 147). Mr. Glickman stated that the Work Papers were based on a scheduling of bank accounts and the work papers of Joseph DeCarlo. (Tr. 137). (Mr. DeCarlo is a for[657]*657mer First United employee who maintained the records of Schwimmer and Renda’s financial scheme prior to DeCarlo’s cooperation with the government in 1987. 892 F.2d at 239, 240; (Tr. 137)).

After the August 18 meeting, Mr. Maf-feo instructed agent Brozen to inspect the Work Papers at Glickman’s office. (Tr. 138). Approximately one week later, agent Brozen and Special Agent Marvin Friedman of the Department of Labor visited Mr. Glickman’s office and examined the Work Papers. (Tr. 56).

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Bluebook (online)
738 F. Supp. 654, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6745, 1990 WL 73667, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-schwimmer-nyed-1990.