U.S. v. Westerfield

Record contained sufficient evidence to support defendant’s conviction on wire fraud scheme designed to obtain mortgage proceeds from lenders arising out of fake home sales that used fake buyers and sellers. While defendant argued that she merely performed typical actions of real estate lawyer during closing process, and that she lacked necessary intent to defraud, jury could find existence of defendant’s knowledge of scheme and intent to defraud where defendant: (1) helped two individuals purchase five homes in short period of time through use of different lenders at high loan-to-value ratios; and (2) rushed clueless buyers and sellers through closing process and gave mortgage proceeds to third-party. Dist. Ct. also did not err in allowing witness who organized scheme to give opinion that defendant had financial arrangement with third-party in scheme, where said testimony was admissible as lay witness opinion based on his close working relationship with defendant and third-party.