United States v. Michael E. Gaudin

HUG, Circuit Judge:

This case involves an alleged scheme in which Gaudin purchased houses, then entered into sham sales transactions at inflated appraised prices, obtained loans on the basis of the inflated prices, reacquired the property, rented it, failed to make the mortgage payments, and applied the rents to his own use. He was convicted of equity skimming, a violation of 12 U.S.C. § 1709-2, for his failure to pay the HUD/FHA insured mortgages while retaining the rents on the secured properties and applying them to his own use. He was also convicted of 43 counts of violations of 18 U.S.C.…