Graham v. United States
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
187 F.2d 87 (1950)
Attorney Graham (defendant) told immigrant client Gal that he would need to pay $2,000 to bribe the arresting police officer to help resolve a disorderly conduct charge threatening Gal's citizenship prospects, and Gal paid a total of $2,200; Graham later spoke with the officer, but no money ever changed hands, and Graham claimed at trial the entire payment was simply his legal fee, that he never mentioned bribing anyone, and that no funds went anywhere but to him. Graham was convicted of grand larceny, and he appealed.
Whether one who obtains money from another upon the representation that he will perform certain services for the latter, intending at the time to convert the money and actually converting it to his own use, is guilty of larceny.