Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee at Memphis.
No. 2:18-cr-20254-1—John Thomas Fowlkes Jr., District Judge.
Decided and Filed: October 19, 2022
Before: McKEAGUE, THAPAR, and READLER, Circuit Judges.
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OPINION
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CHAD A. READLER, Circuit Judge. George E. Skouteris Jr. is a former college football
player. Following his playing days, Skouteris moved from the stadium to the courtroom,
practicing as a personal injury lawyer. His client service, however, was more in the form of a
turnover than a touchdown. Case in point, he routinely settled cases without client permission,
forged client signatures on settlement checks, and then deposited those checks into his own
account. Complaints from angry clients mounted, as did interest by state and federal authorities.
At his jury trial for federal bank fraud, Skouteris argued that his days on the gridiron had
left him with mental impairments—including possible chronic traumatic encephalopathy
(CTE)—that cast doubt on whether he had the requisite state of mind to commit bank fraud. The
jury disagreed and found Skouteris guilty of the charged offense. He was sentenced to 30
months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay nearly $150,000 in restitution. On appeal, Skouteris
argues that his football injuries warrant a replay of his jury trial or, in the alternative, his
sentencing. We disagree and therefore affirm. |