DC Federal Mail and Wire Fraud Lawyer

Although frequently mentioned together, mail and wire fraud are actually two separate crimes that both involve attempting to defraud another person, business, or entity. The crimes of mail and wire fraud are both serious however, and therefore warrant the attention of a DC federal mail and wire fraud lawyer.

If you have been accused of mail or wire fraud it is important you consult with a DC federal defense lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case and determine how to proceed. Call today to learn what a federal mail and wire fraud lawyer in DC can do for you.

Mail and Wire Fraud Charges

Mail fraud is committed when a person has a scheme to defraud another person, business, or other entity and does so utilizing either the United States Mail or private companies like UPS and FedEx as part of their scheme to defraud.

Wire fraud is almost the same as mail fraud in the sense that it is a scheme to defraud someone else or some business, agency, or entity. However, instead of using the mail, they are using what you call “the wires,” which would be transmitting something either through the telephone, radio or television communication, or nowadays, most frequently using email or the internet.

Additionally, as a DC federal mail and wire fraud lawyer can tell you, if a fraudulent scheme involves the use of both written communications through the mail and any kind of phone calls, internet communication, email communication, text, or any kind of wire communication, an individual can be charged with both mail fraud and wire fraud.

Does The Fraud Need to Occur Against The Government?

No, it does not. Many fraudulent schemes may attempt to defraud the federal government, but the law does not require that the victim or target of the fraudulent scheme actually be the federal government. Under certain circumstances, there may be enhanced penalties if the alleged fraud targets the federal government. For example, if they are trying to defraud the Disaster Relief Programs, there are actually enhanced penalties for targeting those programs as part of the fraudulent scheme, but in general it does not require that it be committed against the federal government.

Common Ways Mail and Wire Fraud Are Charged

In any kind of fraudulent scheme it is typical to find that the government will charge mail fraud and/or wire fraud in addition to the actual base fraud charges. For example, if a defendant is accused of having tried to engage in mortgage fraud, they will have used either the mail or internet, email, or phone calls. There will be some manner in which they were performing or trying to accomplish that fraud.

In almost every case where the government is targeting some kind of fraudulent activity, you can expect to see mail or wire fraud charges in addition to whatever the base fraud was that was being accomplished or attempted to be accomplished using either the phone, mail, or internet. You will almost always see those charges in addition to the core charges of the case, making it important a DC federal mail and wire fraud lawyer is contacted as soon as possible.

Misconceptions Regarding Mail and Wire Fraud Cases

The most common misconception is that you actually have to be successful in your fraudulent activity to be prosecuted for fraud, whether it be mail fraud, wire fraud, or some other kind of fraud. In fact, any attempt to defraud others can be prosecuted and so probably the biggest misconception is that, if you didn’t make any money you can’t be prosecuted, however this is simply not true.

Other misconceptions are that if you don’t use the United States Postal Service then you can’t be prosecuted for mail fraud. FedEx, UPS, or any other common carriers operate the exact same way. Wire fraud is no longer dependent just upon a money transfer using Western Union or a phone call. Nowadays, because of the prevalence in the use of internet and email, the wire fraud statute is broad enough to encompass that and so people might be mistaken trying to read these statutes narrowly and finding what they believe to be a technicality as to why they can’t be prosecuted under these statutes, when in fact these statutes are read and are written broadly to make sure that almost any kind of fraudulent activity is going to be encompassed within them.

Can I Be Charged By The US Government For Things That Happened Outside of The United States?

Certainly. If the alleged offense in any way affects the United States or a United States person or entity then you could be liable for criminal conduct that is prosecuted in the United States. As an example, say that you setup a website and the website is actually in your home country of Belgium or wherever, and  you are defrauding people who are actually in the United States.

Even though you are not in the United States and your website is not in the United States, the United States government certainly has an interest in trying to prosecute you because you are victimizing the United States and citizens in the United States. They certainly would try to prosecute you in the United States for that activity. That would just be one example.

Consulting with a DC Federal Mail and Wire Fraud Lawyer

Due to the severity with which mail and wire fraud charges are prosecuted and investigated, it is important you consult with a DC federal mail and wire fraud lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case. Call and schedule a consultation today to learn more about what an attorney can do for you.