⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The D.C. Circuit hears United States versus Jeffrey Young-Bey. Young-Bey and Martina Jones were prosecuted over two schemes that used forged deeds to take title to Washington homes and borrow against them. At trial, the government showed that Young-Bey created false deeds, forged owners' signatures and notary seals, recorded the deeds, and used the resulting titles to obtain mortgage loans. Young-Bey said a man he called J Lo had masterminded the fraud and used Young-Bey's email, phone, and credit card; the jury instead convicted Young-Bey on twelve counts and deadlocked on all counts against Jones. The district court rejected Young-Bey's post-trial challenges and later sentenced him to prison. On appeal, he says the government failed to correct false testimony about a deed-copying fee, then used the mistake to discredit the defense. He also challenges the jury's hearing only the bare fact of a 1995 bank-fraud conviction, the combined effect of several claimed trial errors, and a sentencing enhancement for leading or supervising another participant.

United States v. Jeffrey Young-Bey (No. 25-3092) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, argued September 18, 2026.