United States v. Abdul Aziz Ahmad, United States of America v. Abdul Aziz Ahmad

Abdul Aziz Ahmad appeals his conviction on five counts of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (a)(2)(A), one count of making false statements in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001 , two counts of illegally exporting computer hardware in violation of 22 U.S.C. § 2778 and 50 U.S.C.App. § 2410(b), and one count of conspiracy to commit these crimes in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 . The district court had jurisdiction pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3231 . We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We affirm.

I

On April 10, 1990, Ahmad went to trial on a total of eleven counts of exporting and attempting to export computer equipment in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Administration Act, making false statements to government officials, laundering money, and conspiracy. On April 27, over two weeks into the trial, juror Robert Dionisio informed the court that he had plans to leave on a family vacation on May 2. At the time, the court and the parties believed that the trial would end soon enough to avoid a conflict. But the trial did not end as soon as expected; the jury did not begin deliberating until May 1.

That evening, counsel met with the court to…