Diplomatic Trust Account, and mailed the checks to Walt Hines's mailbox at the University of Miami. The schools also arranged and paid for separate bus transportation for the students.
The materials listed November 4, 2003, as the date on which payment was due.[3] On November 6, Ellisor checked into a *1261 suite at the Doubletree Hotel, where he stayed for the next two weeks. That same day, he requested that Enterprise Rent-a-Car deliver a luxury automobile  first a Jaguar, and then a Cadillac De Ville  to the Doubletree Hotel, and rented the car for a week.
Some time after sending in their payments, the teachers received packages containing raffle tickets to be distributed to the students. The packages also contained materials advertising $20 tickets to attend two eveningshows of "Christmas From Around the World," from 4:00 to 8:30 p.m. and from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. A glossy flier identified the Christmas Palace as the presenter of the evening shows, and gave special thanks to the University of Miami art department, the City of Miami Police Department, the City of Miami Fire Department, and the Doubletree Hotel Coconut Grove. A number of Christmas Palace brochures were also enclosed.
Meanwhile, Ellisor met with the convention center manager at the Coconut Grove Expo Center, Gregory Wright. Ellisor told Wright that the University of Miami had hired him to put on the Christmas show because "he was a great promoter." He requested the convention center from December 1 through 5, 2003, including set-up and break-down days. Wright gave Ellisor a