Published on: Friday, April 28, 2023

If you're a criminal defense lawyer and your drug-smuggling client "sent around $90,000 to an attorney in Jamaica, who then wired it to a realtor in New York City, who then sent it to a Ugandan diplomat . . . , who wired the money" to you to send to the mother of his child, you just might be conspiring to launder money. So found a Baltimore jury. Attorney: this is a silly legal theory. Besides, the trial court improperly instructed on the statute of limitations and the definition of “monetary transaction.” Fourth Circuit: This episode of "Better Call Saul" ends with affirming the conviction. Dissent: There was a serious question about whether the conspiracy continued into the statute-of-limitations period, and the jury should have been instructed on that issue. This should be sent back for a new trial.

The case is United States v. Ravenell, No. 22-04369 (4th Cir. Apr. 25, 2023).