Wire fraud is often a misunderstood charge, possibly because many television shows and movies use the term in very loose ways, usually in a list of other charges that a suspect faces. While to is true that wire fraud charges often arise in conjunction with other charges, wire fraud is a serious crime in itself, and may singlehandedly result in significant legal consequences.
If you find yourself facing wire fraud charges, you have an important responsibility to do everything you can to defend your rights and fight the allegations. This probably requires a detailed, personalized legal defense, carefully prepared based on the facts of your individual case. Take great care to make sure that you do everything you can to protect yourself from life-altering, career-ending charges like these as soon as you possibly can.
Components of wire fraud
In many ways, wire fraud is a charge that reflects old laws. These charges originated when our communications systems were much less complex, generally arising when someone allegedly uses phone lines or electronic communication to commit fraud.
While technology continues to move forward, the basic components of wire fraud remain the same.
- A defendant must create or participate in a plan to defraud one or more individuals out of their money
- A defendant must do this intending to defraud the victim or victims
- The plan directly or foreseeably involves electronic communication and/or interstate wire communication
- A defendant does actually use interstate wire communication or electronic communications
Considering the pervasive nature of electronic communication in our modern lives, just about any fraudulent plan must use wired or electronic communication at some point, making it commonplace for wire fraud charges to arise alongside other charges.
Build a strong defense for the sake of your future
If you face wire fraud charges, this is a very serous matter, even if those are the only charges leveed against you. However, in many cases, wire fraud charges come bundled with other charges, creating an immediate need for a strong legal defense that addresses all the legal issues at hand.
Whatever charges you face, you must take your opportunities to defend yourself seriously. Even if you do not see clear grounds for defense, there are almost always more legal options than you may realize at first. Carefully examine every side of your charges through the eyes of the law to keep your rights and freedoms secure as you resolve this matter fairly.