United States v. Donadeo

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From 2007-2011, a group led by District employee Palazzo defrauded the Cuyahoga Heights School District. From 2009-2011, Defendant was part of this group. The scheme involved Palazzo submitting fake invoices to the District, purporting to be for IT-related goods and services. The vendors were actually shell corporations that never supplied goods or services of any kind to the District. The shell corporations were owned by Palazzo’s brother, Boyles, and Defendant. Five shell corporations defrauded the District of approximately $3.3 million. Defendant was aware, no later than 2009, that the scheme was a fraud. When the scheme was uncovered, Defendant sold his property, moved to Europe, and cut off communications with people in the U.S. He claims he was afraid of Palazzo, who had threatened his family. He was extradited and pled guilty under 18 U.S.C. 1341, 1349 (mail fraud), 18 U.S.C. 1956(h)(money laundering). The Sixth Circuit affirmed his a 70-month sentence, rejecting Defendant’s claims that he should have only received a 14-level offense level increase for the amount of loss that resulted from his offenses—$916,948.77, that he should have received a two-level decrease for playing only a minor role in the offenses, and that he should not have received a two-level increase for obstruction of justice. View "United States v. Donadeo" on Justia Law