United States v. Edward Kavazanjian, United States of America v. Mourad Avedissian

BOWNES, Circuit Judge.

Following a jury trial in the District Court for the District of Massachusetts, appellants Edward Kavazanjian and Mourad Avedissian were convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 371 of conspiring both to defraud, and to commit offenses against, the United States and under 8 U.S.C. § 1324 of encouraging or inducing the entry into this country of aliens not lawfully entitled to enter or reside here. We conclude that an error of law tainted the indictment and therefore reverse the convictions.

I

The case revolves around the efforts of the appellants to assist aliens — mostly Armenian…