United States v. Jerome C. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148 (9th Cir. 1989). · Go Syfert
United States v. Jerome C. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148 (9th Cir. 1989). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
37 citation events (14 in the last 25 years) across 7 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: United States v. Panthaky (ca9, 2007-05-01)
Treatment trajectory · 1990 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1990 2008 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 33 distinct citers. How cited ↗
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Panthaky
9th Cir. · 2007 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150-51 (9th Cir.1989). 3.
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Zehrbach
4th Cir. · 2004 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Wineman
9th Cir. · 2003 · confidence medium
We have held that “[i]t is enough ... that the government charge and the jury find either that the victim was actually deprived of money or property or that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of the same.” United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) (citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Bunn
4th Cir. · 2001 · confidence medium
The gravamen of the offense is not, as Appellants contend, financial loss to the victim; it is, rather, the “intent to obtain money or property from the victim of the deceit.” United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) (per curiam) (internal quotation marks omitted); see United States v. Dinome, 86 F.3d 277, 283-85 (2d Cir.1996) (upholding wire fraud convictions based on supplying false information in connection with mortgage loan; even though lender suffered no loss, loan would not have been made if accurate information had been supplied).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Jane Crawford (2×)
9th Cir. · 2001 · confidence medium
See Carpenter v. United States, 484 U.S. 19, 27 (1987) (intent to defraud means an intent to obtain property from someone by deceiving or cheating them); McNally v. United States, 483 U.S. 350, 358 (1987) (the "common understanding" of "to defraud" is "wronging one in his property rights by dishonest methods or schemes, and usually signify the deprivation of something of value by trick, deceit, chicane, or overreaching"); United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir. 1989) (observing that McNally limited mail fraud to "schemes to defraud another of money or property"); United States v. L…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Bereano
4th Cir. · 1998 · confidence medium
The only issue is whether there is a plan, scheme or artifice intended to defraud."), cert. denied, 446 U.S. 919 (1980); see also United States v. Maxwell, 920 F.2d 1028, 1036 (D.C. _________________________________________________________________ Cir. 1987))), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 965 (1992); United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150 (9th Cir. 1989) (requiring "an intent to obtain money or property from the victim of the deceit." (citations and internal quotation marks omitted)), cert. denied, 497 U.S. 1005 (1990).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Frost
6th Cir. · 1997 · confidence medium
Compare United States v. Blumeyer, 114 F.3d 758, 767-68 (8th Cir.1997)(noting split and following United States v. Cosentino, 869 F.2d 301, 307 (7th Cir.1989), to hold that defendant commits mail fraud by deceiving regulatory agency in order to forestall regulatory action which would impede scheme to obtain property from others) with United States v. Sawyer, 85 F.3d 713 , 734 n. 18 (1st Cir.1996)(intended victims of scheme must be the ones defrauded); McEvoy Travel Bureau, Inc. v. Heritage Travel, Inc., 904 F.2d 786, 794 (1st Cir.1990)(scheme to defraud cannot rest upon deception of one party …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Frost
6th Cir. · 1997 · confidence medium
Compare United States v. Blumeyer, 114 F.3d 758, 767-68 (8th Cir.1997)(noting split and following United States v. Cosentino, 869 F.2d 301, 307 (7th Cir.1989), to hold that defendant commits mail fraud by deceiving regulatory agency in order to forestall regulatory action which would impede scheme to obtain property from others) with United States v. Sawyer, 85 F.3d 713 , 734 n. 18 (1st Cir.1996)(intended victims of scheme must be the ones defrauded); McEvoy Travel Bureau, Inc. v. Heritage Travel, Inc., 904 F.2d 786, 794 (1st Cir.1990)(scheme to defraud cannot rest upon deception of one party …
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Douglas W. Scott and Richard E. Scott
7th Cir. · 1997 · confidence medium
Klein, 93 F.3d at 704 ; United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989).
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Robert Coffman, Jerry Beller, and Thresher T. Rippey
7th Cir. · 1996 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150 (9th Cir.1989) (per curiam).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Larry Joseph LEWIS, Defendant-Appellant
9th Cir. · 1995 · confidence medium
See also United States v. Thomas, 32 F.3d 418, 419 (9th Cir.1994) (in mail fraud prosecution, defendant "must have intended to deprive his victims of money or property”); United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 497 U.S. 1005 , 110 S.Ct. 3242 , 111 L.Ed.2d 753 (1990) (“A scheme to defraud, whether successful or not, remains within the purview of section 1341 as long as the jury was required to find an 'intent to obtain money or property from the victim of the deceit.’ ”); United States v. Lew, 875 F.2d 219, 221 (9th Cir.1989) (in mail fraud prosecution, i…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Paul Suren Mosesian, United States of America v. Lawrence Clay Rocker
9th Cir. · 1994 · confidence medium
Bohonus, 628 F.2d at 1173 ; United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1149 (9th Cir.1989) (a scheme to defraud need not be successful to be the basis of a mail fraud prosecution), cert. denied, 110 S.Ct. 3242 (1990). 6 42 Defendants attempt to avoid this rule by alternatively arguing that their mailings could not have persuaded the insurers to pay.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc., D/B/A Marva Maid Dairy
4th Cir. · 1992 · confidence medium
United States v. Ames Sintering Co., 927 F.2d 232, 235 (6th Cir. 1990); United States v. Oren, 893 F.2d 1057, 1061 (9th Cir. 1990); United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir. 1989), cert. denied, 110 S. Ct. 3242 (1990).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Lewis M. Dischner, United States of America v. Carl W. Mathisen
9th Cir. · 1992 · confidence medium
See Telink, 910 F.2d at 600 (“Dismissal of the indictment cannot be grounded on failure to allege an actual loss of property.”); United States v. Oren, 893 F.2d 1057, 1061 (9th Cir.1990) (rejecting “argument that wire fraud requires a government showing that the defendant caused an actual loss of money or property”); United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) (“It is enough after McNally , as before, that the government charge and the jury find either that the victim was actually deprived of money or property or that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of the s…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Jared Butler v. San Francisco Unified School District
9th Cir. · 1992 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 110 S.Ct. 242 (1990). 10 AFFIRMED. * The panel finds this case appropriate for submission without oral argument pursuant to Ninth Circuit Rule 34-4 and Fed.R.App.P. 34(a) ** This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3 1 Butler argues that the School District unfairly alleged in its reply pleadings before the district court that he attempted to perpetrate a fraud on the district court.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Yvonne Wilson, J.F. Spann, Sam Merit, and Oded Benary
9th Cir. · 1992 · confidence medium
See United States v. Lindsey, 736 F.2d 433, 436 (7th Cir.1984) ("[I]t is not essential that the government allege or prove that purchasers were in fact defrauded, because it is only a scheme to defraud that is required to violate the law."); United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150-51 (9th Cir.1989) (same), cert. denied, 110 S.Ct. 3242 (1990) 4 The government elicited testimony from one of its witnesses that Benary had falsely stated that he was not an officer, director, or owner of more than five percent of the stock of Tracon.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Batten v. State
Fla. Dist. Ct. App. · 1991 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 110 S.Ct. 3242 , 111 L.Ed.2d 753 (1990).
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Ames Sintering Co.
6th Cir. · 1990 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989).
cited Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Ames Sintering Co. Jose (Joseph) 1. Cornudella Patrick L. Dillon
6th Cir. · 1990 · confidence medium
United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) United States v. Jerry Oren
9th Cir. · 1990 · confidence medium
There is nothing in McNally to support Oren’s argument that the case requires “an actual loss, not just a plan or scheme.” See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1149-50 (9th Cir.1989) (specifically rejecting a reading of McNally which provided that “a scheme to defraud must succeed before it can form the basis of a mail fraud prosecution”).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Ryan Masters
9th Cir. · 2015 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150-51 (9th Cir.1989) (per curiam).
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Hickey (2×)
9th Cir. · 2009 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) (for mail fraud, "[i]t is enough . . . that the government charge and the jury find either that the victim was actually deprived of money or property or that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of same.") (emphasis in original); United *931 States v. Benny, 786 F.2d 1410, 1417 (9th Cir.1986) (actual loss is not an element of securities fraud).
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Hickey
9th Cir. · 2009 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir. 1989) (for mail fraud, “[i]t is enough . . . that the govern- ment charge and the jury find either that the victim was actu- ally deprived of money or property or that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of same.”) (emphasis in origi- nal); United States v. Benny, 786 F.2d 1410, 1417 (9th Cir. 1986) (actual loss is not an element of securities fraud).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Nunez-Villegas
9th Cir. · 2008 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) (per curiam).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Zidar
9th Cir. · 2006 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151-52 (9th Cir.1989) (per curiam).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Dennis Leveque, United States of America v. John Kevin Moore
9th Cir. · 2002 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150-51 (9th Cir.1989) (actual fraud is not required for a conviction; the critical element is whether there was fraudulent intent).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Lyons
5th Cir. · 2000 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1149-51 (9th Cir. 1989).
cited Cited "see" United States v. Lyons
5th Cir. · 2000 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1149-51 (9th Cir. 1989).
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Klein
10th Cir. · 1996 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) (submission of unredacted indictment to jury would be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt if judge properly instructed jury that indictment is not evidence), cert. denied, 497 U.S. 1005 , 110 S.Ct. 3242 , 111 L.Ed.2d 753 (1990); Williams, 809 F.2d at 80 n. 3; United States v. Medina, 761 F.2d 12, 21-22 (1st Cir.1985); see also England, 966 F.2d at 408 . .Next, we note the district court properly instructed the jury that to establish guilt under 21 U.S.C. § 846 the government need not prove any alleged member of the conspiracy perform…
cited Cited "see" United States v. Robert Wayne Keller
9th Cir. · 1991 · signal: see · confidence high
See United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1150 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 110 S.Ct. 3242 (1990).
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Telink, Inc.
9th Cir. · 1990 · signal: accord · confidence high
In United States v. Oren, 893 F.2d 1057 (9th Cir.1990), we held that "[t]here is nothing in McNally to support [the] argument that the case requires 'an actual loss, not just a plan or scheme.' " Id. at 1061 ; accord United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1149-50 (9th Cir.1989) (rejecting a reading of McNally which provided that "a scheme to defraud must succeed before it can form the basis of a mail fraud prosecution"), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 110 S.Ct. 3242 , 111 L.Ed.2d 753 (1990).
discussed Cited "see" United States v. Telink, Inc.
9th Cir. · 1990 · signal: accord · confidence high
In United States v. Oren, 893 F.2d 1057 (9th Cir.1990), we held that “[tjhere is nothing in McNally to support [the] argument that the case requires ‘an actual loss, not just a plan or scheme.’ ” Id. at 1061; accord United States v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1149-50 (9th Cir.1989) (rejecting a reading of McNally which provided that “a scheme to defraud must succeed before it can form the basis of a mail fraud prosecution”), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 110 S.Ct. 3242 , 111 L.Ed.2d 753 (1990).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." United States v. David Allen Collins
6th Cir. · 1992 · signal: see also · confidence medium
In Ames v. Sintering Co., 927 F.2d 232, 235 (6th Cir.1990), we held that "the government need only charge that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of money or property, not that the victim was actually deprived of money or property." Id.; see also U.S. v. Utz, 886 F.2d 1148, 1151 (9th Cir.1989) ("It is enough after McNally, as before, that the government charge and the jury find either that the victim was actually deprived of money or property or that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of the same.") (emphasis in original) Accordingly, we reject Collins' assertion.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Jerome C. UTZ, Defendant-Appellant
88-1713.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Sep 27, 1989.
886 F.2d 1148
Jerome C. Utz, pro se, Orinda, Cal., for defendant-appellant., Vincent C. Gambale, U.S.Dept. of Justice, Washington, D.C., for plaintiff-appel-lee.
Browning, Beezer, Kozinski.
Cited by 36 opinions  |  Published
PER CURIAM:

Jerome C. Utz appeals the denial of his second petition for collateral relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, in which he contends that his conviction runs afoul of the Supreme Court’s narrow interpretation of the federal mail fraud statute in McNally v. United States, 483 U.S. 350, 107 S.Ct. 2875, 97 L.Ed.2d 292 (1987). Utz also appeals the district court’s denial of an evidentiary hearing on his claim that prosecutorial eon-duct tainted the jury’s deliberations. We affirm.

I.

Utz, a former deputy attorney general for the state of California, was indicted in 1983 for violations of the federal mail fraud statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and of the “travel fraud” statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2314. The indictment charged Utz and three code-fendants with a scheme to solicit investments in a fraudulent real estate development in Placerville, California. The district court granted defendants’ motion to strike several unproven allegations in the indictment. The jury convicted Utz on the mail fraud counts. Utz and his codefendants appealed and we affirmed. United States v. Wellington, 754 F.2d 1457 (9th Cir.1985).

Utz subsequently sought relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, alleging the prosecution improperly submitted the original, and therefore incorrect, indictment to the jury for consideration during its deliberations. The district court rejected Utz’s section 2255 petition, and we affirmed. United States v. Utz, No. 86-1345 (9th Cir. Apr. 30, 1987) (unpublished mem.) (Utz I) [817 F.2d 107 (table) ].

Two months later, the Supreme Court in McNally limited the scope of the mail fraud statute to protection of property rights. See 483 U.S. at 356-61, 107 S.Ct. at 2879-82. [1] Utz filed this second section 2255 petition based primarily on McNally, but also reasserting his allegation of misconduct regarding the indictment, arguing that the prosecution improperly submitted the unaltered indictment to the jury. The district court rejected both claims.

II.

Utz argues that under McNally there must be evidence that the intended victims suffered actual property loss, evidence which, Utz claims, was lacking in this case. According to Utz’s reading of McNally, a scheme to defraud must succeed before it can form the basis of a mail fraud prosecution.

[*1150] Prior to McNally, it was well settled that to establish a violation of the mail fraud statute “the government was not required to prove that the scheme succeeded.” Lemon v. United States, 278 F.2d 369, 373 (9th Cir.1960). “[U]nder the statute ... it was immaterial whether the defendant obtained any money or not, since the mere devising of a scheme for obtaining money or property by fraud and the use of the mail for the purpose of executing such scheme constitutes a violation of the statute.” Erwin v. United States, 242 F.2d 336, 337 (6th Cir.1957).

We finding nothing in McNally to upset this longstanding interpretation of the statute. McNally stands for three propositions: that the scope of section 1341 is to be discerned from the statute’s language and legislative history, see McNally, 483 U.S. at 356, 359-60, 107 S.Ct. at 2879, 2881; that the language and the legislative history indicate the statute was intended only “to protect the people from schemes to deprive them of their money or property,” id. at 356, 107 S.Ct. at 2879, and thus does not protect citizens’ intangible right to good government, id. at 360, 107 S.Ct. at 2881-82; and, finally, that the phrase “any scheme or artifice to defraud” in the statute “is to be interpreted broadly insofar as property rights are concerned.” Id. at 356, 107 S.Ct. at 2879.

The words of the statute are inconsistent with Utz’s theory. The statute provides in pertinent part:

“Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, ... for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice or attempting so to do [uses the mails or causes them to be used], shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

18 U.S.C. § 1341. The phrase “having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud” is plainly at odds with the notion that only actual deprivation of money or property is punishable. “The language [of the statute] is to be construed in light of the statute’s manifest purpose to prohibit all attempts to defraud by any form of misrepresentation.” United States v. McNeive, 536 F.2d 1245, 1247 (8th Cir.1976).

The opinion in McNally is also inconsistent with Utz’s view. The Court explained in McNally that the modern mail fraud statute is a codification of the Supreme Court’s holding in Durland v. United States, 161 U.S. 306, 16 S.Ct. 508, 40 L.Ed. 709 (1896) and quoted with approval language from the Durland opinion broadly construing the predecessor to section 1341 “to ‘includ[e] everything designed to defraud by representations as to the past or present, or suggestions and promises as to the future,’ ” McNally, 483 U.S. at 357, 107 S.Ct. at 2880 (quoting Durland, 161 U.S. at 313, 16 S.Ct. at 511) (emphasis added), and stating that “ ‘[i]t was with the purpose of protecting the public against all such intentional efforts to despoil ... that this statute was passed_’” Id. (quoting Durland, 161 U.S. at 314, 16 S.Ct. at 511). McNally quotes Durland to support its conclusion that the statute “is to be interpreted broadly insofar as property rights are concerned.” Id. at 356, 107 S.Ct. at 2879.

The Court reiterated this broad reading of the statute in Carpenter v. United States, 484 U.S. 19, 108 S.Ct. 316, 321, 98 L.Ed.2d 275 (1987), stating that “[s]ection[ ] 1341 ... reach[es] any scheme to deprive another of money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises.” (Emphasis added.) It is enough, the Court said, that “the object of the scheme” was to deprive the victims of money or some cognizable property right, if that theory is charged in the indictment and presented to the jury. Id. 108 S.Ct. at 320.

After McNally the basic elements of the offense of mail fraud remain as they were before McNally: “(1) a scheme to defraud, and (2) the mailing of a letter, etc., for the purpose of executing the scheme.” Pereira v. United States, 347 U.S. 1, 8, 74 S.Ct. 358, 362, 98 L.Ed. 435 (1954); see United States v. Dowling, 739 F.2d 1445,[*1151] 1448 (9th Cir.1984), rev’d on other grounds, 473 U.S. 207, 105 S.Ct. 3127, 87 L.Ed.2d 152 (1985). Contrary to Utz’s argument, McNally added no new element to the offense; it merely limited the first element to schemes to defraud another of money or property. It is enough after McNally, as before, that the government charge and the jury find either that the victim was actually deprived of money or property or that the defendant intended to defraud the victim of the same. A scheme to defraud, whether successful or not, remains within the purview of section 1341 as long as the jury was required to find an “intent to obtain money or property from the victim of the deceit.” United States v. Lew, 875 F.2d 219, 222 (9th Cir.1989). [2]

III.

The district court did not err in denying Utz an evidentiary hearing on his allegation that a copy of the original, unexpurgated indictment was erroneously submitted to the jury for consideration during deliberations, a claim Utz raised, and we rejected, in his first section 2255 petition. See Utz I, No. 86-1345, at 2 (finding “not a scrap of evidence” to support this claim).

The record conclusively establishes that the correct version of the indictment was

read to the jury, see United States v. Utz, No. CR-82-0629-TEH, at 3 (N.D.Cal. Oct. 14, 1986) (unpublished order), affd, Utz I, No. 86-1345, at 2, and that the information ordered stricken by the district court was in fact crossed out on the copy of the original indictment Utz claims was sent into the jury room. See 14 C.R. Doc. 623m, Exh. 10(c), at 13-15. Moreover, the district court expressly instructed the jury that the indictment “is not evidence of any kind” and “does not create any presumption or permit any inference of guilt.” 9 C.R. at 6. Under these circumstances, even assuming a copy of the original indictment was erroneously submitted to the jury and, further assuming, as Utz argues, the error was of constitutional dimensions, we are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that it did not contribute to the verdict against Utz, and the verdict may stand. See Satterwhite v. Texas, 486 U.S. 249, 108 S.Ct. 1792, 1797, 100 L.Ed.2d 284 (1988). [3]

Also meritless is Utz’s claim that the court violated due process and equal protection by giving each juror a copy of the indictment to consider during deliberations. We perceive no reason why the district court’s decision to give each juror a copy of the indictment should not be ac[*1152] corded the same deference due a decision of the district court to send a single copy of the indictment to the jury room, see Shayne v. United States, 255 F.2d 739, 743 (9th Cir.1958); C.I.T. Corp. v. United States, 150 F.2d 85, 91 (9th Cir.1945); see also United States v. Polizzi, 500 F.2d 856, 876 (9th Cir.1974); United States v. Murray, 492 F.2d 178, 193 (9th Cir.1973), especially, where, as here, the court cautions the jury not to consider the indictment as evidence. See United States v. Steed, 465 F.2d 1310, 1316 (9th Cir.1972).

AFFIRMED.

1

. McNally is “fully retroactive," United States v. Mitchell, 867 F.2d 1232, 1233 (9th Cir.1989) (per curiam), and therefore Utz’s pre-McNally conviction must conform to it.

2

. In November 1988, Congress added a new section to chapter 63 of title 18 of the United States Code, § 1346, which overrules McNally, stating: "For the purpose of this chapter, the term ‘scheme or artifice to defraud’ includes a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.” Pub.L. 100-690, Title VII, § 7603(a), 102 Stat. 4508. Because we affirm Utz’s conviction even under McNally, we do not address whether § 1346 applies retroactively or whether retroactive application of this section would violate the ex post facto clause of the U.S. Constitution, Art. I, § 10. See Coleman v. McCormick, 874 F.2d 1280, 1286 (9th Cir.1989) (en banc).

3

. In the response to Utz’s claim, the district judge stated he "personally went into the jury room and verified that the jury had the correct version of the indictment.” United States v. Utz, No. CR-82-0629-TEH, at 2 (N.D.Cal. Feb. 5, 1988) (unpublished order). Utz claims this action by the district court raises questions of judicial misconduct and juror impartiality. "Because this claim was not raised before the district court, we decline to hear it for the first time on appeal.” Smith v. United States Parole Comm’n, 875 F.2d 1361, 1369 (9th Cir.1989).

Utz also asserts that the government’s attorney, in oral argument before this court in Utz’s first section 2255 petition, conceded that he took the indictment out of the jury room, altered the indictment and then resubmitted the indictment to the jury. No tape of that oral argument survives. However, the alleged concession by the government appears to amount to nothing more than the same acknowledgment the government made before this court on Utz's second petition — i.e., that, upon order of the court, the government retyped the indictment and returned it absent the stricken portions. There is absolutely no evidence in the record to indicate the government’s attorneys communicated with, or in any other way "tampered” with, the jury, see Remmer v. United States, 350 U.S. 377, 379, 76 S.Ct. 425, 426, 100 L.Ed. 435 (1956), nor is there any evidence that any alleged prosecutorial misconduct prejudiced the jury against Utz. See United States v. Spawr Optical Research Inc., 864 F.2d 1467, 1471-72 (9th Cir.1988), petition for cert, filed, 57 U.S. L.W. 3797 (U.S. Apr. 21, 1989) (No. 88-1708).