United States v. Barbara E. Stefonek, Cross-Appellee

POSNER, Chief Judge.

We have before us cross-appeals from a judgment entered after a jury trial for Medicare fraud, tax fraud, and related federal crimes. The jury found the defendant, Barbara Stefonek, guilty and the judge sentenced her to serve 15 months in prison and to pay more than $20,000 in costs of prosecution. Her appeal challenges both her conviction and the order to pay. The government’s appeal challenges the district judge’s granting the defendant a four-level downward departure in her sentence.

Stefonek, a psychiatric nurse, joined another nurse, Edith Polzin, in creating a series…