18 U.S.C. § 1343 — Fraud by wire, radio, or television

submitted 74 years ago by ch. 879 to r/title-18-CRIMES-AND-CRIMINAL-PROCEDURE · 154 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This section punishes fraud carried out by wire, radio, or television across state lines. The usual penalty is a fine or up to 20 years in prison. Fraud tied to a declared disaster or affecting a bank draws up to 30 years.

This section makes wire fraud a federal crime. It applies to anyone who plans a scheme to defraud people, or to get money or property through false or fraudulent promises. The crime happens when that person sends, or has someone else send, anything by wire, radio, or television to carry out the scheme. This includes writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds. The communication must cross state lines or reach another country — it must be part of interstate or foreign commerce. The basic punishment is a fine under this title, or up to 20 years in prison, or both. Two situations raise the maximum punishment. The first is when the fraud involves a benefit tied to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency, as defined in the Stafford Act. The second is when the fraud affects a financial institution, such as a bank. In either of these two situations, the punishment increases. The fine can reach $1,000,000. The prison term can reach 30 years. Both the fine and the prison term can also be imposed together.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the violation occurs in relation to, or involving any benefit authorized, transported, transmitted, transferred, disbursed, or paid in connection with, a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency (as those terms are defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)), or affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.

Source credit: (Added July 16, 1952, ch. 879, § 18(a), 66 Stat. 722; amended July 11, 1956, ch. 561, 70 Stat. 523; Pub. L. 101–73, title IX, § 961(j), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 500; Pub. L. 101–647, title XXV, § 2504(i), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4861; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–204, title IX, § 903(b), July 30, 2002, 116 Stat. 805; Pub. L. 110–179, § 3, Jan. 7, 2008, 121 Stat. 2557.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1952Enacted · Act of July 16, 1952, ch. 879 · 66 Stat. 722
1956Amended · Act of July 11, 1956, ch. 561 · 70 Stat. 523
1989Amended · Pub. L. 101-73 · 103 Stat. 500
1990Amended · Pub. L. 101-647 · 104 Stat. 4861
1994Amended · Pub. L. 103-322 · 108 Stat. 2147
2002Amended · Pub. L. 107-204 · 116 Stat. 805
2008Amended · Pub. L. 110-179 · 121 Stat. 2557

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 879 on 1952-07-16.

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