Wire Fraud Defense Lawyer Protecting Your Rights

We tend to think of wire fraud as relating to criminal offenses which occur during financial transfers and other money wiring services. But wire fraud charges extend to email, television communication, telephone calls, internet, radio, and even the use of a fax machine. Any use of electronic communication across state lines by which a person sends, receives, or transmits information for some unlawful purpose can result in charges for wire fraud.

Wire fraud is often referred to as a “catch-all” type of offense, meaning that other charges are often tacked on, including identity theft, mortgage fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and bank fraud. The particulars of each case could determine a wide range of penalties, including the potential of extreme fines and years in prison.

Whether you are facing felony or misdemeanor charges, it is highly recommended that you seek out federal defense lawyers to represent your case. Diane C. Bass has years of experience defending Orange County clients from all manner of white-collar crimes. For a better chance of exiting federal court without a conviction, please speak to attorney Diane C. Bass.

What Are Examples of Wire Fraud?

Wire fraud directly parallels mail fraud under the law, except that wire fraud charges require the use of interstate telephone calls or some other form of electronic communication. The federal statute states that wire fraud requires four essential elements:

• The accused voluntarily and intentionally played a part in a scheme to defraud another party out of money or property.
• The accused committed this act with the express intent to defraud the other party.
• That it was reasonable to believe that wire communications would be used for their fraudulent scheme.
• That those electronic communications were in fact utilized in the execution of the fraudulent scheme.

Examples of wire fraud include using the internet, telephone, radio, fax, or television to:

• Hacking an online account to commit fraud.
• Internet scams.
• “Phishing” scams using email.
• Sell something electronically that they do not legally own.
• Telemarketing scams.

How Can Criminal Defense Attorneys Help with Wire Fraud Charges?

Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may have a number of different legal defenses available to you in federal court. Your attorney could argue that no crime was intentionally committed as you were acting in good faith. You cannot be guilty of fraud if you did not intentionally mean to defraud another party.

Another rebuttal to the criminal charge is to argue “puffery”, as salesmen and women often over-exaggerate and use flattery to help close on a sale, sometimes promising just a little more than what can realistically be relied upon.

Sometimes those who provide wire communication services can get wrapped up in federal offenses for wire fraud. Though they may not be held responsible for the federal offense in which they took no part, the use of their services to commit fraud can leave them liable, and they should secure an attorney to represent their needs.

Along with Securities Fraud, What Other Charges Accompany Wire Fraud?

Wire fraud is a broad offense prosecuted in federal courts with additional charges included in the court proceedings. These other federal crimes include:

• Bank fraud.
• Check fraud.
• Credit card fraud.
• Identity theft.
• Internet or computer fraud.
• Money laundering.
• Mortgage fraud.
• Securities fraud.

Depending on the particulars of your case and the findings of the resulting investigation, you may face either felony or misdemeanor charges and a range of different penalties.

One should not enter federal courts without the knowledgeable legal advice of experienced criminal defense lawyers. Your attorney-client relationship is confidential, and you should be able to trust in your attorney to represent your best interests in and out of federal courts. If you are to appear before a judge in federal court, please speak with attorney Diane C. Bass.

Count on Your Confidential Attorney-Client Relationship

If you’ve been accused of wire fraud in Southern California, you should not entrust your criminal defense to just anybody. Orange County criminal defense attorney Diane C. Bass has a sterling reputation among clients and her peers in the legal field. She will dedicate all required energies to attempt to provide you with a winning defense in and out of court.

If you are facing the legal issue of wire fraud charges, it is important that you respect the fact that state and federal government prosecutors will pursue these charges to the fullest extent allowed under the penal code. You need a criminal defense lawyer who will defend your best interests with the same level of tenacity.

Fraud charges are serious. Whatever the particulars of your case, you need to respect the criminal offenses you have been accused of violating. One may like to think that they can prove their innocence on their own, but they need to understand that federal prosecutors will not take it easy on them. You deserve an experienced legal representative. Please call Orange County attorney Diane C. Bass to schedule your consultation: 949-577-8368.