United States v. Hakeem El-Bey

Hakeem El-Bey filed six tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service seeking $1.8 million in tax refunds to which he was not entitled. He received $600,000 from the IRS as a result of two of the returns, which he used to purchase a house and numerous cars. El-Bey represented himself on charges of mail fraud and making false claims to the IRS. He advanced irrelevant arguments, interrupted the judge, and made it challenging to manage the trial. On appeal, El-Bey seeks a new trial. Although the district court was understandably frustrated by a difficult litigant, El-Bey had a right to a fair…