United States v. Robert L. Beecroft, Arthur T. Harrison, James F. Hennig, and Delbert L. Rogers

Defendants were officers in a company which helped inventors to promote and market their ideas. Approximately 1,800 clients paid fees of $1,500 to $1,800. Despite numerous representations of the company’s success, no invention was ever marketed successfully.

On this appeal, each appellant claims the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. In addition, appellant Harrison contends a Dun and Bradstreet report was improperly admitted against him, and appellant Beecroft asserts that the sentence imposed on him was improper. We disagree and affirm each conviction.

FACTS

Development and Marketing International, Inc. (DMI) was founded in 1971 by appellant Harrison and four others not involved in this appeal. DMI purported to develop, fund, manufacture, and market inventions or ideas. For a fee of either $1,500 or $1,800, the company was to provide the client a supposedly individualized portfolio with an extensive analysis of the product’s marketability. Once the portfolio was completed, the client could sign a representation agreement whereby DMI’s product brokers would attempt to place the invention with a…