Posted on November 05,2024 in Fraud

Under 18 U.S.C. 1343, wire fraud is when a person uses electronic interstate communications to deceive someone else for financial purposes. It is a serious federal crime that can carry fines of up to $1,000,000 and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Because of the rise in digital communications, wire fraud is becoming an increasingly common charge.

Understanding wire fraud is an important step toward defending yourself against such allegations. An Illinois federal criminal defense attorney can help you grasp what wire fraud is, the penalties for a wire fraud offense, when it becomes a federal crime, and examples of actions that constitute wire fraud.

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 Posted on October 28,2024 in Fraud

Wire fraud is a serious federal crime that can result in many years in prison and heavy fines. Wire fraud prosecutions have reached an all-time high, with high-profile cases including FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. As we will see, however, wire fraud can lead to heavy penalties in much milder cases.

This article will discuss what wire fraud is, its penalties, and how it is prosecuted. For more details or to discuss your specific case, contact an Illinois federal wire fraud defense attorney.

What Is Wire Fraud?

Wire fraud is the act of using interstate electronic communications to commit fraud. Today, most of us engage in interstate electronic communications multiple times each day by using the internet or cellular data. If an email, social media message, or text is used in the course of fraudulent activity it may constitute wire fraud.

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 Posted on October 15,2024 in Fraud

Embezzlement is a serious crime that involves the misuse of assets. It usually occurs in corporations, nonprofit organizations, or governments and is often prosecuted at the state level. In some cases, however, embezzlement becomes a federal offense. Someone who faces such a charge can face heavy fines or go to prison for federal embezzlement.

This article will discuss what embezzlement is and when it becomes a federal crime. If you are facing federal embezzlement charges, protect your rights by contacting an Illinois criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.

What Is Embezzlement?

Embezzlement is when a person has lawful access to assets and knowingly misuses those assets for fraudulent or personal use. A common example of this is when a corporate executive uses company funds to pay for lavish vacations or make private investments.

There are four elements to the crime of embezzlement:

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 Posted on October 11,2024 in Fraud

Wire fraud is a serious federal crime that carries hefty fines and prison time. It has become a much more common offense due to today’s widespread use of technology and the internet. Understanding wire fraud is essential if you are facing wire fraud charges.

In this article, we will discuss what wire fraud is, explore examples of the crime, and describe its penalties. If you are facing accusations of wire fraud, make sure to hire an Illinois federal wire fraud defense attorney who can protect your rights.

What Is Wire Fraud?

18 U.S.C. 1343 defines wire fraud as using electronic communications across state lines to intentionally deceive someone for financial gain. Since most communication today is electronic and uses the internet, many crimes can be prosecuted as wire fraud. Even if you were to send an email to someone else in Illinois in the process of the alleged crime, that email may be sent through servers outside the state. In that case, it could qualify as interstate electronic communication and thus constitute wire fraud.

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 Posted on October 07,2024 in Federal Crimes

Originally published: June 23, 2023 -- Updated: October 7, 2024

Someone who commits a crime in Illinois may be charged under state law. However, if that same offense crosses into another state, it can be charged as a federal crime. When someone crosses state lines in the act of breaking the law, he or she can face heavier penalties and investigations by federal law enforcement like the FBI.

This article will discuss the most common crimes that cross state lines, what you need to know about federal crime, and how to contact an Illinois federal criminal defense attorney to protect your rights.

What Are Some Common Crimes That Cross State Lines?

Since the internet usually crosses state lines, it is more common than ever for crimes to fall under federal jurisdiction. Even if you remain in Illinois, communications you send may route through out-of-state servers. This is especially true if you use tools like VPNs.

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 Posted on September 29,2024 in Federal Crimes

Is it a federal crime to open someone else’s mail? The short answer is "yes." Opening or destroying mail that is addressed to someone else is a crime called "Obstruction of Correspondence." It is a serious felony that could lead to prison time. It is remarkably easy to find yourself charged with this crime, even if you didn’t mean to do anything wrong. Maybe you got curious and opened a letter addressed to your roommate, or a letter meant for your neighbor landed in your mailbox and you ripped it open without looking. The good news is that an experienced federal crime attorney can help you, and depending on the circumstances, possibly even have your charges dismissed. If you find yourself charged with any federal mail crime, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. 

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 Posted on September 20,2024 in Computer Crime

Social media is a major part of life. It is where relationships are forged and broken, businesses grow or fail, and election campaigns are lost and won. It is one of the main methods of communication in our era. However, it is also a vehicle for misuse. Some of these misuses constitute federal internet crimes that carry serious penalties.

This article will explore different types of social media misuse that can lead to federal internet crime charges. If you or a loved one are being accused of an internet offense, consult an Illinois criminal defense lawyer to begin building a strong defense against the allegations.

Cyberstalking

One way social media misuse can be a federal crime is if a user engages in cyberstalking. Cyberstalking is when someone uses the internet to intentionally cause substantial emotional distress to someone else on at least two occasions. To be charged with cyberstalking, the offending user must have had the intent to:

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 Posted on September 11,2024 in Money Laundering

By federal law, banks are required to report any transactions that are suspected of money laundering or other criminal activity. These include transactions of $10,000 or more. Under the Patriot Act and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), banks must fill out a cash transaction report (CTR) any time a customer moves that amount of cash in a single day.

To avoid being reported, some customers try breaking up large transactions into smaller ones of less than $10,000 each. This is referred to as "structuring" and is a serious federal crime. In this article, we will explore how structuring works, the penalties for structuring, and how to contact an experienced Illinois money laundering defense attorney.

How Does Structuring Work?

Structuring is when a person tries to avoid anti-money laundering reporting requirements by splitting a transaction into smaller amounts under $10,000. For example: 

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 Posted on September 05,2024 in Computer Crime

Sextortion is a serious crime where someone threatens to expose sexual information about another person unless their demands are met. These demands can include anything from money to sexual favors, but the nature of the demand is largely irrelevant. It is the threat that makes sextortion a crime.

To understand the legal implications of sextortion, it is first important to determine whether it is a federal offense. This is especially true today when technology has not only made sextortion more common but can also determine the jurisdiction of the crime. This article will explore what makes sextortion a federal crime, as well as how to contact an Illinois sextortion defense attorney to review your case.

What Makes Sextortion a Federal Crime?

Sextortion is not mentioned in federal law by name, but it is usually charged under cyberstalking statutes. Cyberstalking is when someone uses electronic communications to intentionally cause someone emotional distress or to place someone in fear of serious bodily harm or death.

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 Posted on August 26,2024 in Federal Crimes

Looting during times of civil unrest or natural disasters can lead to serious federal charges. If you face looting charges, you might wonder what legal defenses are available. An Illinois lawyer can help you explore potential defenses.

What Is Federal Looting?

While there is not a specific federal "looting" statute, federal prosecutors often charge looting-related crimes under various laws, including:

• The Civil Unrest statute (18 U.S.C. § 231)
• The Federal Anti-Riot Act (18 U.S.C. § 2101)
• Interstate transportation of stolen property (18 U.S.C. § 2314)

These laws cover activities such as interfering with law enforcement during civil disorders, inciting riots across state lines, or transporting stolen goods across state boundaries.

To secure a conviction, federal prosecutors must prove several elements beyond a reasonable doubt, depending on the specific charge. This may include proving that you crossed state lines, participated in or incited a riot, or knowingly transported stolen property.

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