Evidence Provided During Securities Fraud Trial Was Sufficient, Panel Rules

Mealey's (March 20, 2020, 12:52 PM EDT) -- NEW YORK — A federal district court did not abuse its discretion in convicting a former executive officer of a real estate investment trust (REIT) of six counts in connection with his alleged preparation of fraudulent financial statements for the company because evidence submitted by government prosecutors was sufficient for a jury “to find beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant’s financial reporting was false or misleading under federal securities law, a Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel ruled March 19 (United States of America v. Brian Block, Nos. 17-3857 and 19-682, 2nd Cir., 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 8633)....