The Supreme Court issued two opinions limiting the scope of federal fraud statutes that prohibit “honest services fraud” in Ciminelli v. United States and Percoco v. United States. 18 U.S.C. § 1346 states, “a scheme or artifice to defraud includes a scheme or artifice...
In United States v. Taylor, the Supreme Court held that attempted Hobbs Act robbery does not qualify as a “crime of violence” under 18 U.S.C. §924(c). Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3), “crime of violence” is defined as a felony offense and “has an element the use,...
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) has recently been cracking down on cases of federal wire fraud. Wire fraud is governed by 18 U.S.C. § 1342. 18 U.S.C § 1342 states that the four essential elements of the crime of wire fraud are: (1) that the defendant...
On June 8, 2023, the Supreme Court decided Dubin v. U.S, 599 U.S. ___ (2023), which dealt with the applicability 18 §1028A(a)(1), the federal aggravated identity theft statute, which has a two-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. The Government uses it frequently...
What are the Various Federal Investigation Agencies? Federal criminal offenses are investigated by different federal agencies. While federal criminal charges are ultimately brought by the United States Attorney’s Office, their investigators are performed by the...
Grand Jury Target Letters, Subpoenas, Federal Investigations and Classifications Many people contact our firm after they have been contacted by a federal agency or the United States Attorney’s Office, and informed that they are a witness, subject or target of a...