US v. Pierre Almonor

Circuit 4Dec 16, 2025

Split Score

SplitScore: 51/100

Case Summary

Disposition

Affirmed

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Pierre Yvelt Almonor’s conviction and sentence for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Rejecting eight appellate challenges, the court upheld rulings on Batson, venue, jury instructions, evidentiary issues, loss and restitution calculations, a money-laundering business enhancement, and supervised-release conditions.

View Full Opinion Document (PDF)

Circuit Split Identified

Legal Issue

Whether 18 U.S.C. § 1956(i) requires that overt acts establishing venue in a money-laundering conspiracy be reasonably foreseeable to the defendant.

Circuit Positions

Circuit 2

Venue for money-laundering conspiracy requires that overt acts in the district were reasonably foreseeable to the defendant.

Circuit 4(this circuit)Circuit 6

Venue is proper in any district where any conspirator committed an act in furtherance of the conspiracy; no foreseeability requirement.

Conflict Summary

The Second Circuit holds that, for venue in a money-laundering conspiracy, overt acts performed in the venue district must have been reasonably foreseeable to the defendant, while the Fourth and Sixth Circuits read § 1956(i) to require no such foreseeability—venue is proper in any district where any conspirator committed an act in furtherance of the conspiracy.

Parties & Counsel

Parties

Appellant:Pierre Yvelt Almonor
Appellee:United States of America

Legal Counsel

Appellant:Rene L. Valladares, Jeremy C. Baron, Lauren B. Torre, Office of the Federal Public Defender, Las Vegas, Nevada
Appellee:Dena J. King, Julia K. Wood, Office of the United States Attorney, Charlotte, North Carolina