Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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TIMOTHY A. SCOTT
California Bar No. 215074
LAW OFFICES OF TIMOTHY A. SCOTT, APC
1350 Columbia Street, Suite 600
San Diego, California 92101
Telephone: (619) 794-0451
Facsimile: (619) 652-9964
email: tscott@timscottlaw.com
Attorneys for Jeffrey Spanier
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Plaintiff,
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vs.
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Jeffrey Spanier,
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Defendant.
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alleging six new overt actsan apparent bid to extend the governments case into
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as is the superseding indictment that relies upon it, he asks that the Court dismiss
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S/ Timothy A. Scott
____________________________
TIMOTHY A. SCOTT
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Law Offices of
Timothy A. Scott, APC
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TIMOTHY A. SCOTT
California Bar No. 215074
LAW OFFICES OF TIMOTHY A. SCOTT, APC
1350 Columbia Street, Suite 600
San Diego, California 92101
Telephone: (619) 794-0451
Facsimile: (619) 652-9964
email: tscott@timscottlaw.com
Attorneys for Jeffrey Spanier
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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Plaintiff,
vs.
Jeffrey Spanier,
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Defendant.
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I.
of the latest overt act alleged in the indictment. The July 1 indictment failed to
allege any overt act within the preceding five years, thus it was untimely. The
government has now filed a superseding indictment, but that indictment also fails
to allege an overt act within five years of its filing. This new indictment does not
relate back to the original indictment either. This is so because: 1) the
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II.
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These duplicity and vagueness problems are exacerbated by the fact that no
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securities fraud transactions appear to have occurred within the applicable statute
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Statement of Facts
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In February of 2016, the Ninth Circuit dismissed the underlying case United
States v. Spanier, 12cr918. The government re-indicted the following July. 1 In
response to a defense motion to dismiss, this Court found that the government did
not re-indict within 60 days of dismissal, thus the tolling provisions set forth in 18
U.S.C. 3299 and 3289 did not apply. Because the indictment was returned on
July 1, 2016, the applicable statute of limitations serves to bar any offense that was
completed before July 1, 2011, and Counts 2-18 were dismissed accordingly.
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allege any overt act occurred within the limitations period. The last alleged overt
act was in May of 2011, two months before the cut-off of July 1, 2011. 2
On October 30th, a Friday afternoon nine days before trial, the government
returned a superseding indictment. 3 That indictment did not allege any overt acts
occurring after October 30, 2011. But it did add six overt acts that allegedly
occurred after July 1, 2011. 4 Presumably the government believes that these six
overt acts relate back to the July 1 indictment, and somehow save the indictment
from being time-barred. That premise is the focus of the first part of these
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motions.
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But Count 2 of the indictment suffers from its own problems. Count 2, the
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securities-fraud charge, does not allege that a specific crime was committed on a
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date certain. It instead alleges that [b]eginning in or around February 2003, and
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continuing up to at least March 14, 2012, Mr. Spanier committed securities fraud
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under 15 U.S.C. 78j(b) and 78ff. Count 2 also incorporates paragraphs 1-7 and
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11-12 by reference, but it does not say which (if any) of these are the actual count
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The indictment did allege that the conspiracy described in Count 1 and the
securities fraud alleged in Count 19 continued up to and including October 25,
2013. Exhibit at 3. This is just the date of the superseding indictment in the
underlying casemonths after one alleged co-conspirator was convicted at trial
and the other co-conspirator had committed suicide. As described infra, it is the
overt acts alleged that matter in this context, not obviously untrue allegations that a
conspiracy was continuing in October of 2013.
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See Exhibit B.
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See Id. at 8, overt acts (t)-(y). These acts all relate to a single witness,
Richard Sellers. Mr. Sellerss stock had already been conveyed before July 1,
2011. The overt acts all pertain to after-the-fact conversations with Mr. Sellers
most if not all of which were after the F.B.I. was publicly investigating the case.
alleged. Securities fraud is not a continuing offense, and the indictment does not
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Discussion
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I.
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3282. Because the present indictment was returned on October 30, 2016, the
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charges would ordinarily be time-barred unless the government can prove that the
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crimes alleged occurred after October 30, 2011. The government has tried to draft
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the July 1, 2016 indictment, and then alleging some overt acts that occurred after
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July 1, 2011.
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This gambit fails. The rule is that [a] superseding indictment brought after
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the statute of limitations has expired is valid so long as the original indictment is
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still pending and was timely and the superseding indictment does not broaden or
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substantially amend the original charges. United States v. Italiano, 894 F.2d
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1280, 1282 (11th Cir. 1990). But this rule does not save the government here for
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two reasons: 1) the original indictment was itself not timely, thus it cannot
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by adding new critical facts, theories, and a distinct alleged conspiracy. For these
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reasons, the superseding indictment was not tolled by the July 1 indictment.
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A.
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indictments tolling applies as long as that indictment is still pending and was
timely) (emphasis provided). See also United States v. Friedman, 649 F.2d 199,
204 (3d Cir. 1981) (a superseding indictment returned while the original
indictment is validly pending is not barred by the statute of limitations if it does not
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expand the charges made in the initial indictment) (emphasis provided); United
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States v. Grady, 544 F.2d 598, 601-02 (2d Cir. 1976) (a superseding indictment
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[is not time-barred if] the first indictment is still validly pending, [and] if and only
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if it does not broaden the charges made in the first indictment) (emphasis
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provided).
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The original indictment was not timely. In its Order dismissing Counts 2-
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18, this Court accurately described the law of the Circuit (and of this case): The
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Court wrote, is the statute of limitations starts to run on the date of the last overt
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act alleged to have caused the complainant injury. Order, docket at 34, page 2
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(citing United States v. Charnay, 537 F.2d 341, 354 (9th Cir. 1976)). This has been
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Supreme Court law for over 100 years: the period of limitation must be computed
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from the date of the overt act rather than the formation of the conspiracy. And
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where during the existence of the conspiracy there are successive overt acts, the
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period of limitation must be computed from the date of the last of them of which
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there is appropriate allegation and proof. Brown v. Elliott, 225 U.S. 392, 401
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(1912) (emphasis provided). The same is true of the Ninth Circuit. See Hedderly
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v. United States, 193 F. 561 (9th Cir. 1912) (prosecution is not barred by the
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statute of limitations until three years after the commission of the last overt act
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limitation period, the indictment is invalid and must be dismissed. See United
States v. Ben Zvi, 242 F.3d 89, 97 (2d Cir. 2001) (Ben Zvi argues that the wire
fraud conspiracy as charged in the First Indictment was time barred because none
of the alleged overt acts occurred within five years of the indictment's return. We
agree.). Even if evidence of overt acts might be proven to fall within the
limitations period, they must be included within the indictment to save it from
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being time-barred. Put differently, charging a timely overt act in the indictment is
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mandatory; proof at trial does not save an indictment missing this key element.
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See United States v. Davis, 533 F.2d 921, 929 (5th Cir. 1976) (rejecting
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government argument to the contrary, holding that for purposes of the statute of
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limitations the overt acts alleged in the indictment and proved at trial mark the
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duration of the conspiracy) (emphasis provided); Id. at 929 n.11 (describing our
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repeated holdings that proof of a conspiracy must be based on allegation and proof
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of both the criminal agreement and of the commission by one of the conspirators of
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The government cannot draft its way around these problems by simply
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alleging an ongoing conspiracy without factual support. See e.g. Fiswick v. United
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States, 329 U.S. 211, 216 (1944) (end of conspiracy measured from date of last
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overt act described in the indictment, even though indictment generally alleged a
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Mr. Spanier recently became aware of this case law through research in
response to the governments superseding indictmentand in particular the
addition of six overt acts nine days before trial. He expressly disavows any
suggestion in prior briefing that merely alleging a continuing offense in the
limitations period (without any overt acts supporting the allegation) is sufficient to
avoid being time-barred.
conspiracy continuing until the date of the indictment itself). See also Bridges v.
United States, 346 U.S. 209, 222-23 (1953) (The embellishment of the indictment
does not lengthen the time for prosecution. It is the statutory definition of the
offense that determines whether or not the statute of limitations has been
violated.). 6
The remaining counts of the original indictment, then, must be measured by
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their last overt act. The latest overt act described in Count 1 of the original
indictment is May 11, 2011almost two months outside of the July 1, 2001 cut-
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time-barred too. Because an indictment must allege an overt act within the
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limitations period, and because the original indictment failed to do so, it was and is
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untimely. The superseding indictment that relies on it to be valid and timely thus
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B.
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Even if an original indictment is timely, a superseding indictment does not
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indictment. United States v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 785 F.2d 777, 778-79 (9th Cir.
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1986). See also United States v. Hickey, 580 F.3d 922, 929 (9th Cir. 2009)
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(finding relation back because the superseding indictment did not broaden or
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Roebuck, 785 F.2d at 779. See United States v. Liu, 731 F.3d 982, 996-97 (9th Cir.
greater sentence.).
The superseding indictment adds six crucial overt acts. As the government
well knows, those acts are the difference between a time-barred indictment and a
timely one. And they introduce a new factual matrix as well: the question is no
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longer whether Mr. Spanier knew that Argyll was selling stock to funds loans and
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was making false representations to induce borrowers to pledge stock. Now the
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factual question is whether there was an after-the-fact cover-up; whether there was
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lulling that constitutes an offense within the limitations period, or whether the
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An entirely different body of law governs these questions, and would subject
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States, 353 U.S. 391, 406 (1957), for example, the government alleged a tax-
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related conspiracy, and the question was whether criminal conduct fell within the
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applicable statute of limitations. First, the Court rejected the argument that an
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agreement to conceal a conspiracy can extend the statute of limitations: after the
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merely that the conspiracy was kept a secret and that the conspirators took care to
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cover up their crime in order to escape detection and punishment. Id. at 401-02
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(citing Krulewitch v. United States, 336 U.S. 440, 444 (1949) (plausible
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general rule against the admission of hearsay evidence.)) See also Lutwak v.
Grunewald also held that the district courts instructions to the jury were
erroneous. The Could held that this was so because [t]he jury was never told that
these overt acts of concealment could be taken as furthering the conspiracy only if
the basic criminal aim of the conspiracy was not yet attained [within the limitations
period]. On the charge as given, the jury might easily have concluded that the
petitioners were guilty even though they found merely (1) that the central aim of
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the conspiracy was accomplished in 1949, and (2) that the subsequent acts of
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Ninth Circuit law confirms that a defendant is entitled to have the fact-finder
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so. In United States v. Fuchs, 218 F.3d 957, 961 (9th Cir. 2000), for example, the
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grounds. But neither the government nor the defense asked the district court to
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include the question of limitations in the jury instructions. Id. The Ninth Circuit
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reversed, holding that the omission was plain error. Considering that a statute of
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limitations instruction is clearly required under established Supreme Court law and
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that the defendants had previously moved to dismiss the indictment [on those
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grounds] the Court held, the trial court's error was plain. Id. at 952.
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alter and broaden the charges against Mr. Spanier. Simply put, this is much a
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different case than the one the government charged in July. These theories and
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factual questions substantially amend and broaden the July 1st indictment such that
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the superseding indictment does not relate back. The statute of limitations is not
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entirety.
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II.
Even if the Court does not dismiss Count 1, the substantive securitiesfraud charge in Count 2 is not a continuing offense, it was completed in
2004 at the latest, and thus it should be dismissed as time-barred.
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February 2003 and continuing up to and including March 14, 2012, 7 Mr. Spanier
and others did use and employ manipulative and deceptive devices and
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material fact and omitting to state facts necessary in order to make the statements
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made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
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and (c) engaging in acts, practices, and courses of business which operated and
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because it does not allege a particular offense, and it certainly does not allege a
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Again, the government continues to tinker with the end-date of the alleged
conspiracy, sometimes claiming that it continued up to October of 2013, and
sometimes alleging that it continued through March of 2012. Thus, even beyond
the legal authority holding that it is the last overt act that matters, the governments
allegations regarding the end-date of any conspiracy are demonstrably arbitrary.
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not, and this misunderstanding wreaks havoc on this count of the indictment. The
seminal case on continuing offenses is United States v. Toussie, 397 U.S. 112
(1970). In Toussie, the Supreme Court held that failing to register for the draft was
not a continuing offense for statute of limitations purposes, even though the
defendant repeated his failure to register every successive day. The Court
limited circumstances and further relied on the principle that criminal limitations
The Ninth Circuit applies Toussie faithfully, to the extent that it has
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articulated a presumption against continuing offenses. This court has held that
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the statute compels such a conclusion or the nature of the crime involved is such
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that Congress must assuredly have intended that it be treated as a continuing one.
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United States v. Nash, 115 F.3d 1431, 1441 (9th Cir. 1997). See also United States
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And under Ninth Circuit law, securities fraud was already not a continuing
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offenseeven before Toussie. In Carroll v. United States, 326 F.2d 72, (9th Cir.
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1963), the government alleged fraud in the sale of securities under 15 U.S.C.
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77q(a). For three of the counts in the indictment, the investors confirmed the stock
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purchase and paid for it outside of the limitations period, but the actual stock
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certificates were mailed inside the limitations period. The question was whether
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the resulting indictmentwhich was returned more than five years after payment
was made but less than five years after the certificates were mailedwas time-
barred. Id. at 86. The Ninth Circuit began with the premise that [t]t is established
law that the statute of limitations begins to run when an offense is completed. It
then observed that substantive mail fraud is deemed completed when the
defendants received the money that was intended to be obtained by their fraud, and
and collateral to it, and not a part of it. Id. It affirmed the same rule for securities
fraud. Accordingly, the Court held that once an offer, acceptance, and payment
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occurred for the stock, then the offense was complete. Id. This was so even
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though victims mailed the actual stock certificates afterwards within the limitations
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period. Id. Accordingly, the Court of Appeals reversed the convictions, holding
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securities fraud was complete as soon as the first investor was defraudedback in
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2004 or so, according to the governments claims. The allegations twelve years
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B.
The fact that the government has made the indictment hopelessly
duplicitious should not save it from dismissalespecially
when all of the potential crimes are barred by the statute
of limitations.
The government may respond that the fraud alleged in Count 2 did not end
with the first investor, arguing essentially that there are dozens of incidents within
that count that could support a conviction. But that is the governments problem,
not its solution. Rampant duplicity and vagueness exacerbate rather than cure a
statute of limitations problem. Throwing dozens of potential charges into one
count is the definition of duplicity, many times over. This lack of specificity is
also unconstitutionally vague, and it could create Double Jeopardy problems to the
extent it does not reveal the precise charges that Mr. Spaniers jury will pass upon.
And perhaps most importantly here, it creates the likelihood that the jury could
convict for an act that had long been completed outside of the limitations period.
The law does not permit that result.
For all of these reasons, the Court should dismiss Count 2 of the superseding
indictment for being both time-barred and hopelessly vague and duplicitous.
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Conclusion
For all of these reasons, Mr. Spanier asks that these motions be granted.
Dated: November 1, 2016
Respectfully Submitted,
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S/ Timothy A. Scott
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____________________________
TIMOTHY A. SCOTT
Law Offices of
Timothy A. Scott, APC
Attorneys for Mr. Spanier
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.,-,-;.-
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
3:16-cr-01545-BEN Document
Document54-2
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--~.
"
'201& JUL -I PH 2: 62
5
6
7
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
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~LIFORNIA
1
12
14
I N D I C T MEN
---r-
Plaintiff,
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JEFFREY R. SPANIER,
Defendant.
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~--------------------------------~
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INTRODUCTORY ALLEGATIONS
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23
1.
24
v.
15
Case No.
Florida.
25
2.
Amerifund
under
the
Capital
laws
the
State
LLC
26
formed
27
28
//
MGW:nlv(l) :San Diego
7/1/16
of
Finance,
of
("ACF")
was
Florida
and
a
was
corporation
owned
and
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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3.
Amerifund
the
laws
of
Group,
the
LLC
formed
under
Capital
State
of
("ACG")
was
Florida
and
was
4.
corporation
owned and
Defendant JEFFREY R.
ACG were direct lenders, and also served as the "retail" arm of other
lenders,
Investments,
10
SPANIER,
LLC.
Argyll Equities, LLC was a corporation formed under the laws
5.
11
12
of
the
State
of
13
14
(now
15
16
Jr.")
deceased)
Texas
(hereinafter
6.
SW Argyll
laws
of
17
the
State
the
19
San Diego,
20
California
The Argyll
of
and
to
do
business
in
San Diego,
referred
to
as
"Miceli")
and
Douglas
Investments,
18
21
and purported
LLC was
and
Texas
Savannah,
purported
Georgia.
to
Its
do
business
principals
in
were
22
(hereinafter,
23
24
25
of
26
which
27
28
making
collectively referred to as
loans
would
to
accept
corporate
stock
SPANIER,
executives
(either
and
restricted
and others,
other
or
to be an
individuals
and
unrestricted)
as
Case
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Count 1
Conspiracy
8.
are
herein.
9.
realleged
and
incorporated by
reference
as
if
through 7 above
fully
set
forth
and
elsewhere,
defendant
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER,
T.
deceased),
II
conspirators,
12
persons
known
13
against
the
14
Title 18,
IS
of Title 18,
16
17
knowingly
and
United
conspired
unknown
to
States,
and
the
to
charged elsewhere,
Miceli
10
18
James
agreed
grand
wit:
jury,
Section 1341;
with
to
fraud,
each
other,
commit
in
wire fraud,
(now
offenses
violation
of
in violation
19
20
clients
21
of
false,
fraudulent
22
23
24
11.
2S
thereof,
26
27
II
28
and
and material
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Defendant JEFFREY R.
a.
SPANIER,
and others,
would induce
misleading
representations
ARGYLL,
Defendant JEFFREY R.
b.
that
and
SPANIER,
potential borrowers
misleading
10
loans by false,
fraudulent,
other
lenders,
and others,
and
had
would induce
representations
that
loans by false,
their
stock
fraudulent,
would
be
and
held
in
safekeeping and not be sold unless the borrower defaulted on the loan.
c.
11
Defendant JEFFREY R.
SPANIER,
and others,
would induce
12
13
14
false,
15
16
which
17
fraudulent,
restricts
d.
18
and
misleading
affiliated
representations
persons
from
that
ARGYLL,
and
selling
publicly
traded
19
20
21
receiving as much as
22
23
in
fees,
when,
Defendant JEFFREY R.
make
quarterly
in
SPANIER,
interest
truth and
and others,
on
he
was
would induce
loans
ARGYLL
borrowers
25
26
as collateral for the loans was safe and would be returned to them as
27
payments
fact,
24
28
to
5%
Case
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OVERT ACTS
12.
In
furtherance
the
said
elsewhere:
2003
and
acts,
and
1,
overt
effect
February
following
to
Between
the
and
accomplish
a.
thereof,
conspiracy
objects
of
January
among
29,
2004,
10
Association
11
("NASDAQ"),
12
ARGYLL.
13
of
as
b.
Securities
collateral
On
or
for
before
four
Automated
loans
February
totaling
27,
2004,
from
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
in which
GS
pledged
500,000 shares of common stock GS held in ATP Oil and Gas Corporation,
16
17
c.
or
GS
$3,277,750
15
company
with borrower
System
negotiated a
publicly traded
agreement
Quotation
14
18
loan
Dealers
listed on NASDAQ,
before
April
2004,
loan
20
1.19 million
shares
21
International,
22
23
d.
common
("MSI"),
stock
LP
LP
JEFFREY
negotiated a
of
with borrower
collateral
19
Inc.
agreement
20,
as
R.
in which
held
in
for
SPANIER
LP pledged
Mace
Security
24
facilitated
25
26
27
S.A. de C.V.
28
the
execution
of
14
loan
agreements
with
Servicios
Case
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e.
On
or
before
December
16,
2008,
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
On or about May 8,
f.
2009,
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER sent
an
g.
On
a
or
loan
before
agreement
May
2009,
22,
wi th
borrower
JEFFREY
in
RS
which
R.
RS
SPANIER
pledged
negotiated
10
publicly traded company listed on the Over The Counter Bulletin Board
11
12
h.
On
or
about
September
29,
2009,
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
13
14
15
Inc.
("PVCT").
On
i.
16
loan
before
agreement
December
with
1,
2009,
borrower
SW
JEFFREY
in
which
R.
SPANIER
SW
pledged
17
negotiated
18
19
Realty
20
21
or
("DDR"),
j.
On
publicly
or
about
sw
traded
December
company
10,
on
2009,
the
New
JEFFREY
York
R.
Stock
SPANIER
22
23
which $273,480 was a back end fee that was not disclosed to SW prior
24
25
k.
On
26
negotiated a
27
million shares of
28
or
before
loan agreement
March
4,
2010,
with borrower KY
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
in which KY pledged 1
Inc.
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
3:16-cr-01545-BEN Document
Document54-2
1 Filed
Filed07/01/16
11/01/16 Page
Page7 7ofof1515
("CNAM"),
On
loan
before
agreement
April
with
22,
2010,
borrower
TP
JEFFREY
in
R.
which
SPANIER
negotiated
("SM") ,
m.
8
9
or
as collateral for a
negotiated
On
a
or
loan
before
February
agreement
with
18,
2011,
borrower
FB
TP
as
JEFFREY
in
which
pledged
Inc.
collateral
R.
SPANIER
FB
pledged
10
11
Inc.
12
("FPTB"),
13
n.
publicly
On
a
or
loan
traded
before
March
14
negotiated
15
16
publicly
17
traded
o.
18
agreement
company
company
with
listed
15,
listed on
2011,
borrower
RS
the
NASDAQ,
JEFFREY
in
which
R.
SPANIER
RS
pledged
the
OTCBB,
as
as
("VU1"),
collateral
for
a
a
19
20
back-end fee
21
22
p.
23
24
end
25
fee
for
26
27
28
q.
negotiated
the
On
a
loan
RS
or
loan
which
before
agreement
was
April
with
not
1,
disclosed
2011,
borrower
CW
to
JEFFREY
in
which
RS
R.
CW
prior
to
SPANIER
pledged
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Page8 8ofof1515
1,000,000
shares
Inc. ("QBC") ,
Equities exchange
from ARGYLL.
r.
sv
of
common
publicly
stock
traded
that
CW
company
("NYSE Amex"),
as
held
listed
in
on
collateral for
Cubic
the
NYSE
Amex
$358,000
loan
borrower
to transfer
in
Elephant
s.
Energy,
Talk
Communication,
Inc.
("ETAK"),
2011,
JEFFREY R.
publicly
traded
SPANIER received
10
wire transfers in the amount of $158,196 and $65,912 from the sale of
11
12
13
Counts 2-7
14
15
Mail Fraud
16
13.
17
18
19
14.
if
20
including
21
California,
22
Miceli
23
24
scheme
25
property
26
representations,
27
28
October
and
25,
elsewhere,
(now deceased),
to defraud as
by
2013,
means
of
within
defendant
the
Southern
JEFFREY
to material matters
materially
promises,
or
false
omissions
R.
Jr.,
and to
and
of
District
SPANIER,
James
of
T.
charged elsewhere,
fraudulent
material
pretenses,
facts,
as
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Page9 9ofof1515
15.
(now deceased),
Jr.,
SPANIER,
James T. Miceli
charged elsewhere,
for the
items to be
10
11
12
Count
Date
Sender
Addressee
Item
2/25/2010
SW
Beachwood,
Ohio
ARGYLL
San Diego, CA
Check
8/26/2010
SW
Beachwood,
Ohio
ARGYLL
San Diego, CA
Check
10/7/2010
KY
San Mateo, CA
ARGYLL
San Diego, CA
Check
1/5/2011
KY
San Mateo, CA
ARGYLL
San Diego, CA
Check
2/8/2011
TP
Cottonwood,
AZ
ARGYLL
San Diego, CA
Check
3/28/2011
FB
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Boca Raton, FL
Promissory
Note
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 2.
9
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
3:16-cr-01545-BEN Document
Document54-2
1 Filed
Filed07/01/16
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Page1010ofof1515
Counts 8-18
Wire Fraud
16.
The allegations
set
forth
in paragraphs 1 through 7,
and
17.
including
October
California,
and
25,
2013,
elsewhere,
(now deceased),
within
defendant
the
Southern
JEFFREY
James
T.
Miceli
11
12
13
and
14
omissions
15
Count 1.
16
of
pretenses,
fact,
as
representations,
described
in
Jr.,
SPANIER,
of
10
fraudulent
R.
District
charged elsewhere,
promises,
paragraphs
11
or
to
material
through
12
of
17
18.
18
District of California,
19
James
20
elsewhere,
21
scheme
defraud
22
fraudulent
23
24
of wire,
25
26
II
27
II
28
T.
to
Miceli
(now deceased),
and
pretenses,
radio,
and elsewhere,
to
defendant JEFFREY R.
and Douglas
obtain money
representations,
and
McClain,
property
promises,
10
did
SPANIER,
Jr.,
by
charged
false
and
transmit
and
the writings,
signs,
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Page1111ofof1515
Count
Date
Sender
Addressee
Communication
12/10/2009
SW ARGYLL
BofA Acct. #
0526
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct.
# 0663
(formerly
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $410,977.00
4/9/2010
SW ARGYLL
BofA Acct #
3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
# 0663 (formerly
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $425,000
10
5/18/2010
SW ARGYLL
BofA Acct #
3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
(formerly
# 2968
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $402,892.80
11
6/24/2010
SW ARGYLL
BofA Acct #
3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
# 2968
(formerly
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $338,910
12
4/14/2011
SW ARGYLL
BofA Acct #
3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
# 2968
(formerly
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $26,250
13
4/15/2011
SW ARGYLL
BofA Acct #
3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
(formerly
# 2968
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $43,750
14
4/21/2011
Jeffrey
Spanier
Delray Beach,
FL
SV
Brussels, Belgium
e-mail
communication
regarding
transfer of
ETAK shares
15
5/11/2011
SW ARGYLL
Bank of
America
Acct # 3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
(formerly
# 2968
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $65,915
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
11
Case
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Page1212ofof1515
16
5/11/2011
SW ARGYLL
Bank of
America
Acct # 3952
San Diego, CA
Amerifund
Iberia Bank Acct
# 2968
(formerly
Sterling Bank)
Delray Beach, FL
Wire transfer
in the amount
of $158,196.24
17
5/19/2011
Jeffrey
Spanier
Delray Beach,
FL
DD/Goldman Sachs
Chicago, IL
e-mail
communication
re payoff of SW
loan
18
6/15/2011
JEFFREY R.
SPANIER
Delray Beach,
FI
RS
Seattle, WA
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
communication
re return of
stock after FBI
search warrant
11
execution
12
13
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2.
Count 19
14
15
securities Fraud
16
19.
17
18
19
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
allegations
set
forth
in paragraphs
through
7,
and
20
21
The
and
including
California
Miceli
and
October
25,
elsewhere,
(now deceased),
2013,
within
defendant
the
JEFFREY
and continuing up to
Southern
R.
Jr. ,
District
SPANIER,
James
of
T.
charged elsewhere,
by the use of
facilities
of
national
securities
exchanges,
use
and
employ
12
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Document54-2
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Page1313ofof1515
Federal
schemes,
were made,
All in violation of Title 15, United States Code, Sections 78j(b) and
Regulations,
Section
and artifices
to defraud;
(b)
by
(a)
making
employing
devices,
untrue statements of
not misleading;
Title 17,
240.10b-5,
Code of
and
(c)
engaging in acts,
10
78ff,
Federal Regulations,
'11
practices,
fraud and
12
13
[Title 18, United States Code, Sections 981(a) (1) (C), 984 and
14
15
21.
reference
17
criminal
18
States Code,
19
as
though set
forfeiture
As
forth
pursuant
in full
to
result
of
the
the purpose of
the provisions of
for
984,
Title
commission
of
the
22
R.
23
real
24
United
offenses
defendant JEFFREY
SPANIER shall forfeit to the United States any and all property,
and
personal,
25
28
18,
foregoing
27
charging
United States
21
26
and
16
20
and
which
constitutes
or
is
deri ved
from
proceeds
Real Property
a.
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Page1414ofof1515
All monies,
b.
LLC.
c.
All monies,
10
d.
11
All monies,
12
13
e.
14
All monies,
15
Sterling
16
f.
17
Bank)
Account
xxxxxx0663 ,
Sterling
19
In
the
or
is
event
Bank)
that
derived
the
name
Account
xxxxxx2968,
any property,
from
proceeds
real
in
or
21
constitutes
22
23
traceable
the
name
personal,
to
the
offenses
as a result of
(1)
25
(2)
has
26
27
28
transferred or sold
to,
or
of
which
24
been
of
18
20
in
deposited with,
third parties;
(3)
Case
Case3:16-cr-01545-BEN
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Page1515ofof1515
(4)
(5)
the
All
Sections
value
of
$81,000,000
violation
in
shall
of
984
be
Title
and
forfeited
18,
Title
to
DATED:
united
28,
United
July 1, 2016.
11
A TRUE BILL:
13
Foreperson
14
LAURA E. DUFFY
: ::t'd~
17
t.-
jffciiAEwlm
~7 Assistant U. S. Attorney
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
15
United States
the
States
States
Code,
Code,
d :.-...
~
atbOCT 28 PM 2: 41
3
4
'i> - - . -"
,,JQ
"'''U----
r. ~~t"P"'t
~.
SOUTHERN
DIST~ICT
OF CALIFORNIA
10
11 "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
12
Plaintiff
v.
13
14 II JEFFREY R. SPANIER
N D I C T MEN T
- (SupersedIng)
Title 18 U,S,C'
Sec. 371
Conspiracy; Title 15 U,S,C'
Secs. 78j (b) and 78ff - Securities
Fraud; Title 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2
Aiding and Abetting; Title 18
U. S . C. Sec s. 981 (a) (1) (C)
984 and
Title 28 1 U,S,C' I Sec. 2461(c)
Criminal Forfeiture
1
Defendant.
15
16
17
18
19 II
20 II
INTRODUCTORY ALLEGATIONS
2111
22
1.
23
II
2.
II
Florida.
24
25
formed
Amerifund
under
the
Capital
laws
of
Finance
the
State
LLC
of
//
28
//
JJO:nlv:San Diego
10/28/16
("ACF")
Florida
was
and
a
was
corporation
owned
and
3.
Amerifund
under
the
LLC
formed
laws
Group,
the
Capital
State
of
("ACG")
was
Florida and
corporation
was
owned
and
5 II specialized
originating
stock
loans
for
business
executives.
6 II Defendant JEFFREY R. SPANIER, represented to the public that ACF and ACG
711were direct
lenders,
and also
served as
the
"retail"
arm of other
8 II lenders, including but not limited to, Argyll Equities, LLC, SW Argyll
9 II Investments,
10
LLC.
11
5.
12 II of
the
State of
Texas
and purported
deceased)
(hereinafter
do bus
in San
referred
to
to
as
"Miceli")
and
Douglas
161IJr.")
17 II
6.
1811laws
of
the
State
of
Texas
and
purported
to
do
business
in
7.
22 II (hereinafter,
SPANIER,
were represented
and others,
to be an
making
2611which
loans
would
to
accept
corporate
stock
executives
(either
27
28
//
2
and
restricted
other
or
individuals
and
unrestricted)
as
Count 1
Conspiracy
8.
9.
2012,
Jr.,
charged elsewhere,
10 II conspired and agreed with each other, and persons known and unknown to
11 lithe grand jury, to commit offenses against the United States, to wit:
12 II mail fraud,
13 II wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343i
14 II and securities fraud,
15 II Sections
78j
and
78ff,
17,
and Title
Code
of
Regulations (
16 II Section 240.10b-5.
17 II
10.
of
false,
fraudulent
and
and material
22 II
23 II
11.
111
a.
Defendant JEFFREY R.
SPANIER,
representations
that
ARGYLL,
and
fraudulent,
other
lenders,
and
had
b.
Defendant JEFFREY R.
SPANIER,
representations
that
their
stock
fraudulent,
would
be
held
and
in
10 II safekeeping and not be sold unless the borrower defaulted on the loan.
c.
II
Defendant JEFFREY R.
d.
Defendant JEFFREY R.
e.
borrowers
to
Defendant JEFFREY R.
make
quarterly
SPANIER,
interest
percent.
and others,
payments
on
would induce
loans
ARGYLL
l II
OVERT ACTS
2 II
12.
In
furtherance
of
said
411were
committed
within
the
conspiracy
and
to
effect
and
Southern
District
of
California,
and
5 II elsewhere:
a.
6 II
Between February I,
29
2004, JEFFREY
publicly
traded
company
listed
on
the
National
b.
13 II negotiated
On
a
or
loan
before
February
agreement
with
27,
2004
borrower
GS
JEFFREY
in
which
R.
SPANIER
GS
pledged
1411500,000 shares of common stock GS held in ATP oil and Gas Corporation,
15 II a
publicly
traded
company
listed
on
NASDAQ,
as
collateral
for
18
On
c.
17
negotiated
or
loan
before
April
agreement
wi th
20,
2004
borrower
JEFFREY
LP
in which
R.
SPANIER
LP
pledged
("MSI II )
publicly
traded
company
listed
on
the
NASDAQ,
as
d.
facilitated
execution
of
de C. V.
l4
(" SDS tI
loan
)
agreements
with
Servicios
261IS.A. de C.V
("TMMII)
27 11/ /
28 11/ /
e.
On
or
before
December
16,
2008,
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
On or about May 8,
2009,
JEFFREY R.
SPANIER sent an
On
22,
with
2009,
borrower
RS
JEFFREY
in
which
R.
RS
SPANIER
10
publicly traded company listed on the Over The Counter Bulletin Board
pledged
II
),
h.
12
agreement
May
negotiated
("OTCBB
loan
before
11
or
On
or
about
September
29,
2009,
loan agreement
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
13
in which DA pledged
14
15
Inc.
("PVCT").
16
i.
17 II negotiated
On
a
loan
or
before
agreement
December
with
I,
2009,
borrower
SW
JEFFREY
in
which
R.
SPANIER
SW pledged
j .
21
22
23
$273,480 was a
26 II negotiated
27
On
k.
25
11
loan
or
before
agreement
March
with
4,
2010,
borrower
KY
JEFFREY
in
which
R.
KY
SPANIER
pledged
28
6
Inc.
~~-~
..
-------------
1 II
("CNAM"),
as collateral for a
3
4 II
negotiated
On
loan
or
before
agreement
April
with
22,
JEFFREY
2010,
borrower
TP
in
R.
SPANIER
TP
pledged
which
Inc.
m.
9 II negotiated
On
a
loan
or
before
agreement
February
with
18,
JEFFREY
2011,
borrower
FB
in
which
R.
SPANIER
FB
pledged
Inc.
{"FPTB"},
as
n.
13 II
14 II negotiated
On
a
loan
or
before
agreement
March
with
IS,
JEFFREY
2011,
borrower
RS
SPANIER
RS
pledged
in which
R.
as collateral for a
a publicly traded
loan from
$207,900
17 II ARGYLL.
o.
18
19
20
back-end fee for the FB loan which was not disclosed to FB prior to
p.
22 II
23
24
end
25
fee
for
26
27 II negotiated
28111,000,000
the
on
q.
loan
shares
RS
or
loan
which
before
agreement
of
common
was
April
wi th
not
1,
disclosed
2011,
borrower
stock
7
that
CW
CW
to
RS
JEFFREY
in
held
which
in
R.
prior
to
SPANIER
CW pledged
Cubic
Energy,
1 II Inc. ("QBCII), a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE Amex Equities
211exchange ("NYSE Amex
3 II
r.
On
ll
),
or
April
21,
2011,
JEFFREY
R.
SPANIER
Inc.
s.
2011,
JEFFREY R.
SPANIER received
811wire transfers in the amounts of $158,196 and $65,912 from the sale of
9 IIETAK shares pledged by SV.
10 II
t.
u.
2011,
JEFFREY R.
SPANIER emailed
v.
w.
On
elsewhere,
or
before
spoke
by
August
3,
telephone
2011,
with
Douglas
borrower
McClain,
RS
Jr.,
whereby
he
20 II reassured RS that ARGYLL would honor all loans, was working through all
21 II issues with the government investigation,
x.
27 11/ /
28 II / /
y.
2 /I elsewhere,
interest
Count 2
Securities Fraud
8 II
19.
11
20.
2012,
interstate
commerce,
the
mails,
and
the
facilities
of
national
contrivances
18 II securities
in
connection
in violation
of
with
Title
17,
the
Code
purchase
of
and
Federal
sale
of
Regulations,
(b) making
circumstances
under which
they
were
made,
not
misleading i
and
26
78f,
27
28
//
Title 17,
and
Section 240.10b-5,
and
[18 U.S.C.
3 "
21.
4 /I reference
Counts
as
and
though
set
are
realleged
forth
in full
and
for
2461(c)]
incorporated
the
purpose
herein
of
by
charging
Sections
981(a)(1)(C),
984,
7 II Section 2461(c).
8 II
22.
constitutes
or
is
derived
from
proceeds
to
15
The
real
property
located
at
located
at
16013
16
17
18
19
20
21
B,
22
23
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PARCEL
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Page 157,
as
of the
those
b.
All monies,
LLC.
5
c.
All monies,
d.
All monies,
10
11
e.
12
All monies,
13
Sterling
14
f.
15
Bank)
Account
xxxxxx0663,
Sterling
17
In
19 II constitutes
the
or
is
event
Bank)
that
derived
the
16
18 II
in
Account
xxxxxx2968,
any property,
from
proceeds
real
in
or
traceable
the
(formerly
name
(formerly
name
personal,
to
the
of
of
which
offenses
(I)
23
(2)
25
(3)
26
(4)
24
parties;
271111
28
II11
11
(5)
5 IIAll in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 981(a) (1) (C) [
7 II
DATED:
A TRUE BILL:
~~
10
11 II
12 ..
13_
II
14
Foreperson
LAURA E. DUFFY
By:
ORABONA
U.S. Attorney
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16
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2S
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12
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
1
2
3
I hereby certify that I am over the age of eighteen and am not a party to this
action. On todays date, I filed a true and correct copy of the attached document
through this Courts Electronic Filing System (ECF), and the system indicated that
the filing had been received successfully. By virtue of the ECF system, the AUSA
assigned to this case and all interested parties were served electronically upon
9
10
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct,
dated: November 1, 2016.
11
12
s/ Timothy A. Scott
13
TIMOTHY A. SCOTT
14
Attorney at Law
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