No. 23-5759

Meredith McConnell v. United States

Lower Court: Ninth Circuit
Docketed: 2023-10-11
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: criminal-indictment false-statements federal-statute materiality neder-v-united-states ninth-circuit omissions wire-fraud
Key Terms:
DueProcess
Latest Conference: 2023-11-09
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does an indictment charging the offense of wire fraud require pleading and proof of a specific false statement or omission, or is the allegation of an unspecified 'material scheme to defraud' sufficient?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED The wire fraud statute criminalizes the use of wire communications to effect “any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises.” 18 U.S.C. § 1343. In Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1, 25 (2000), this Court held that materiality of the falsehood is an element of the federal mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud statutes. Despite this holding, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals continues to hold, as it did in the present case, that it is unnecessary to allege specific false statements or omissions when setting forth the crime of wire fraud. The question presented is: Does an indictment charging the offense of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1348, require pleading and proof of a specific false statement or omission, or is the allegation of an unspecified “material scheme to defraud” sufficient to state all elements of the offense?

Docket Entries

2023-11-13
Petition DENIED.
2023-10-25
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/9/2023.
2023-10-18
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2023-09-29
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 13, 2023)

Attorneys

Meredith McConnell
Nancy G. SchwartzN.G. Schwartz Law, PLLC, Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent