TELEPHONES ANSWERED 24 HOURS A DAY
FREE CONSULTATION
312-629-0669
Recent Blog Posts
What Happens If I Am Charged with Voyeurism?
Under federal law, it is illegal to knowingly take an image of someone’s private area without his or her consent. This is called video voyeurism and it is a federal sex crime that carries prison time, heavy fines, and registration as a sex offender. The first step to defending yourself against video voyeurism charges is understanding the offense, the penalties for the crime, and what happens after you are charged. For more information and to start building your defense, contact a qualified Illinois federal criminal defense attorney.
What Is Video Voyeurism?
18 U.S.C. 1801, known as the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 2004, says that someone who intentionally takes an image or video of a person’s private area when that person had a reasonable expectation of privacy is guilty of video voyeurism.
Do I Need a Mail Fraud Defense Attorney?
Mail fraud is a federal white-collar crime that carries heavy penalties. A person who involves a mail service when committing a crime can be charged not only with the crime but also with mail fraud, potentially increasing his or her sentence. The best way to protect yourself if you are facing mail fraud charges is to hire an Illinois federal mail fraud defense attorney. An experienced lawyer will thoroughly investigate your case and create a defense against the charges.
What Is Mail Fraud?
Mail fraud is when a person uses a postal service to commit fraud. There are four components to a mail fraud charge:
-
The defendant had the intent to defraud someone.
-
The fraud scheme involved making false statements or omitting important details.
When Do You Go to Prison for Embezzlement?
Embezzlement is a form of white-collar crime that is punished severely by federal law. A person who is convicted of embezzling money can be sentenced to lengthy prison time and fines. Facing federal embezzlement charges can be a frightening experience, but hiring an aggressive Illinois federal embezzlement defense attorney to represent you is a great way to defend yourself against such accusations. Understanding what embezzlement is, how it is prosecuted, and when you can go to prison for federal embezzlement is a crucial first step toward building a defense.
What Is Embezzlement?
Embezzlement is when a person who has authorized access to funds or assets misuses them for personal gain or fraudulent purposes. It is a common type of corporate fraud, where executives in large corporations sometimes "redirect" company funds for other uses. For example, a chief financial officer who has access to the company’s finances and uses them to buy himself a luxurious home while billing it as "local headquarters" could be charged with embezzlement.
3 Examples of Wire Fraud that Can Lead to Federal Criminal Charges
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.
Will I Go to Prison for Wire 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.
Is Embezzlement a Federal Crime?
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:
What Is Federal Wire 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.
What Happens When Crimes Cross State Lines?
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.
Is it a Federal Crime to Open Someone Else’s Mail?
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.
When Does Social Media Misuse Become a Federal 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:
120 N LaSalle St, Suite 2600,
Chicago, IL 60602
TELEPHONES ANSWERED
24 HOURS A DAY
312-629-0669
Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney120 N LaSalle St, Suite 2600,
Chicago, IL 60602312-629-0669
Contact Our Firm
The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.
I have read and understand the Disclaimer and Privacy Policy.
