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Ratzlaf v. United States (1994)
Charge: Structuring cash transactions to evade bank reporting requirementsCourt: U.S. Supreme CourtState: NevadaDocket: House Deck
The facts
A gambler ran up a $160,000 debt at a casino. He came back with $100,000 in cash to pay it. Casino staff told him any cash transaction over $10,000 had to be reported to the government. Banks had the same duty. So he bought cashier's cheques, each for less than $10,000, each from a different bank, and handed them to the casino. He admits he was trying to avoid the reports. The law punishes only "wilful" structuring. He says nobody told him that dodging the paperwork was itself a crime.
You have the facts the court had. Guilty or not guilty? Call it in the game with your friends, then see what the court actually decided. Wrong call, you drink.
Citation: Ratzlaf v. United States, 510 U.S. 135 (1994)
Read more at supreme.justia.com. The source reveals the outcome.