Federal Charges

Conspiracy

A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, so a natural person identified with the mind of a legal entity cannot conspire with the company alone. There is no limit on the number participating in the conspiracy and no requirement that any steps have been taken to put the plan into effect. Many federal statutes exist which criminalize certai …
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Mail Fraud

Mail Fraud is the oldest form of fraud statutorily regulated and prosecuted by the federal government. Statutorily regulated since 1872, the United States Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the authority of Congress to pass the statute.  The statute itself is defined in 18 USC Section 1341.  The law prohibits using the U.S. Postal Service or any private interstate delivery service to commit any …
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Money Laundering

Money Laundering is a crime that involves converting money or property gained from illegal activities into money that appears to have been legally earned.  Money laundering helps criminals of all kinds cover up the source of their funds, whether it be through embezzlement, selling drugs or fraud.  Money laundering has three steps: Placement- Illegal funds are introduced into the mainstream …
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RICO Prosecutions

The federal government vigorously prosecutes organized crime, and even criminal conduct not normally seen as “organized,” under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute. When people think of RICO violations and federal conspiracy charges, they most often think of the Mafia. Today, RICO charges are commonly levied against “legitimate” corporations and their senior manag …
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Wire Fraud

Wire fraud is defined in 18 USC 1343 as the use of “the wires” to commit or with intent to commit a scheme or artifice to defraud.  The elements of wire fraud directly compare to those of the mail fraud statute, but require the use of an interstate telephone call or electronic communication made in furtherance of the scheme.The key element placing this form of fraud into the purview of “wire frau …
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