Question juridique clé
Whether the manipulated and backdated lease contract constituted attempted fraud
Solution extraite
The attempted fraud conviction was upheld; the threatened reduction of rent would have caused a legally protected asset loss and reflected intent to damage the landlord and benefit the purchaser company.
Motifs extraits
A rent reduction obtained through deception was not unlawful; the landlord could have claimed the difference civilly, so a compensable loss existed if the deception had succeeded. The defendant aimed to secure a lower purchase price for the company, which implied both damage and unlawful enrichment.