JOHN P. VALASSAKIS, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Valassakis was convicted of grand larceny for improperly endorsing a corporate check made payable to Bellair Apartments, Inc., depositing it to his personal account, and withdrawing funds. The court affirmed, holding that although Valassakis intended to steal from the corporation, he committed grand larceny by obtaining property from the bank through false pretenses (his unauthorized endorsement), and the variance between the information charging theft from the bank and evidence of theft from the corporation was immaterial under Florida's unified larceny statute.
The conviction is affirmed. Although Valassakis intended to steal from the corporation, he committed grand larceny by obtaining property of the bank through false pretenses—his unauthorized endorsement of the check constituted a false representation of authority to the bank. Under Florida's unified larceny statute, the variance between the charging document and proof of the actual victim is immaterial; when intent exists to do wrong and an unintended illegal act ensues as a natural and probable consequence, the intent transfers to the person who actually suffered the consequences.
“the obvious purpose of statutes like the one under consideration here is to avoid the pitfalls of pleading where a defendant might escape a conviction for one offense by proof he had committed another”
Establishes that Florida's unified larceny statute was designed to prevent defendants from escaping conviction on technical pleading grounds
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceValassakis was president and manager of Bellair Apartments, Inc., a corporation owned by three stockholders. On November 29, 1963, the corporation's a…
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Valassakis appeals from a conviction for the crime of grand larceny.
Dr. Pete Filos, Dr. John Canakaris and Appellant Valassakis owned the stock of Bellair Apartments, Inc. Defendant was the corporation’s manager and president, and Warren Cole, Jr., was its attorney. The corporate assets had recently been sold and on Friday, November 29, 1963 Cole gave Valassakis a $19,468.79 check drawn on the attorney’s trust account in the Commercial Bank at Daytona Beach. This check was made payable to Bellair Apartments, Inc. and represented part of the purchase price of the corporate assets. Defendant immediately endorsed the check as president of Bellair, deposited same to his personal account in the Commercial Bank, and withdrew $1,000.00 in cash. Later that day he deposited to an old inactive personal account at the First Atlantic National Bank a $10,000.00 check drawn on his account at the Commercial Bank. On Sunday he called Dr. Canakaris and told him to be in Cole’s office on the following Wednesday at which time the funds would be disbursed. The Commercial Bank was closed Saturday and Sunday, but Monday was a busy day for all concerned. On that day the following checks drawn on defendant’s personal account were presented for payment at the Commercial Bank — 1 check for $5,000, 2 checks for $1,000 cash and the $10,000 check which had been deposited *76at First Atlantic, arid defendant purchased about $7,000 in travelers checks at the First Atlantic National Bank and two one-way tickets for Brussels, Belgium. Meanwhile, Cole had called the Commercial Bank regarding his $19,468.79 check, discovered that it had been improperly endorsed, and requested that payment be stopped.
A few days later the two doctors received a letter from the defendant asking forgiveness for his cowardly act, stating that he was desperate when he left Day-tona, that he had tried to make a “go of our venture” but had made mistakes, and that he would “invest our money to the advantage of all of us, so we can repay the debts that are outstanding.” When defendant’s departing dust had settled, his overdrafts at the Commercial Bank amounted to $7,234.22.
The information charged Valassakis with grand larceny under Section 811.021, Florida Statutes, F.S.A., in that he did take and carry away $7,234.22 in U. S. money, property of Commercial Bank.
In summary, the undisputed facts are that Valassakis had set out to appropriate for himself funds belonging to the corporation. The evidence is clear and positive to the effect that he had no authority to endorse the corporation’s check for the purpose of depositing same to his personal account, but he nevertheless did so and then proceeded immediately on a two-day banking spree to obtain the proceeds in cash or traveler’s checks. This accomplished he departed this state and country, but not until he had written his regrets and apologies to the two men he anticipated would suffer. By a quirk of fate the funds he had assiduously acquired did not belong to the corporation, as was his belief, but to the Commercial Bank.
The only point that merits our attention is Valassakis’ contention that reversible error lay in the material variance between the information and the evidence, since the information charged the defendant with grand larceny of the property of the Commercial Bank at Daytona Beach whereas the evidence, when viewed most favorably to the state, disclosed that the property was that of the corporation.
This is the type case contemplated by Section 811.021, a single statute embracing the separate offenses heretofore known as larceny, embezzlement, obtaining property by false pretenses, etc. The jury found Valassakis guilty of larceny, apparently by obtaining property of the Bank under false pretenses.- Valassakis would now have us believe that any crime he committed was one against the corporation. It has been said that the obvious purpose of statutes like the one under consideration here is to avoid the pitfalls of pleading where a defendant might escape a conviction for one offense by proof he had committed another.1 Therefore the real question before us is not whether the defendant stole anything belonging to the corporation but whether he stole funds belonging to Commercial Bank. We find that he did and affirm the judgment appealed.
At the outset we note that it has long been the settled law of Florida that a drawee bank is liable for conversion of a check if it makes payment without procuring a genuine endorsement of the payee. Thus, as between the corporation and the Bank any loss would fall upon the Bank.2
Since Appellant’s endorsement and presentment of the check to the Bank amounts to an assertion that he was authorized to endorse the check for the purpose of depositing it to his personal account, the crime committed was grand larceny by ob*77taining property of another by false pretenses. A similar situation existed in Henson v. State.3 There Henson, an auditor, stole some bonds from the city of Braden-ton. He used the coupons from the bonds as collateral in obtaining a loan from a local bank. In exchange for his note secured by the coupons, the Bank gave Henson a deposit receipt in the sum of $1,936.-00. Shortly thereafter Henson went to a tellers’ window and cashed a $1,500 check. It was held that Henson had obtained property of the Bank by false pretenses. There the Bank had relied upon the false representation that Henson owned the coupons. In the instant case the Bank relied upon Valassakis’ endorsement as being a genuine authorized endorsement.
Appellant’s final argument is that without intent there is no crime, and the evidence here shows only an intention to take funds belonging to defendant’s corporation. This case is replete with evidence by which the jury could find scienter. The most obvious is the defendant’s letter to the other corporate stockholders from which there can be no doubt that defendant acted upon a predesigned course to obtain for his own use the funds of another. It is immaterial that the defendant believed that the money he took belonged to the corporation. When an intent exists to do wrong, and an unintended illegal act ensues as a natural and probable consequence, or if in committing the act an unintended victim is struck down, the original intent as a matter of law is transferred from the one against whom it was entertained to the person who actually suffered the consequences of the unlawful act.4
The judgment appealed is affirmed.
CARROLL, DONALD, K., and JOHNSON, JJ., concur.
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IN the Interest OF D.J.S. and J.S.G. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 563 So. 2d 655 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990)…vel of the criminal conduct or offense the defendant will be held accountable for even though this criminal act causes injury to one other than the intended victim. See Coston v. State, 139 Fla. 250, 190 So. 520 (1939), cited in Valassakis v. State, 187 So. 2d 74, 77 (Fla. 1st DCA 1966), for the doctrine quoted at page 16, note 15, of the en banc decision.16 It may well have been appropriate to apply this doctrine in the 1981 criminal abuse action against John as the legal basis for holding him criminally re…1 / 2
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Carlton J. Brown v. State, 599 So. 2d 132 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992)…t Mr. Brown only intended to harm Mr. Lee. It properly relied upon the concept of transferred intent to charge Mr. Brown with an offense arising out of Mr. Hough’s injuries. See Coston v. State, 139 Fla. 250, 190 So. 520 (1939); Valassakis v. State, 187 So. 2d 74 (Fla. 1st DCA 1966). The jury convicted the defendant on both counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Mr. Brown’s scoresheet recommended a sentence of up to 12 years and permitted a sentence of 7 to 17 years. The trial court, however, de…
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Thomas v. State, 216 So. 2d 780 (Fla. 3d DCA 1968)…nformation. He then attempts to distinguish his activities from the several forms of larceny and its variations, which existed before the passage of § 811.021, Fla.Stat., F.S.A. We find this to be of no avail. See: Valassakis v. State, Fla.App.1966, 187 So. 2d 74, wherein the following is found: * * * * * * “ * * * It has been said that the obvious purpose of statutes like the one under consideration here is to avoid the pitfalls of pleading where a defendant might escape a conviction for one offense by pr…
Previewing 3 of 6 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Coston v. State, 139 Fla. 250 (Fla. 1939)
- Rosengarten v. State, 171 So. 2d 591 (Fla. 2d DCA 1965)
- Louisville & Nashville R.R. Co. v. Citizens & Peoples Nat'l Bank of Pensacola, 74 Fla. 385 (Fla. 1917)
- Worth Henson v. State, 140 Fla. 412 (Fla. 1939)