The components of mail fraud are similar to those of wire fraud. Both involve the use of electronic or interstate communications. The criminal punishment for committing the frauds is the same , which is sentence of up to 20-years in prison and a substantial fine. A conviction for financial institution fraud is more severe.
You must have committed at least one of these offenses to be able to get convictions in mail fraud or wire fraud. This includes the making use of the United States Postal Service or private interstate carriers or wire transmissions that are interstate. These are among the most well-known types of wire and mail fraud. There are numerous examples. If you are charged with one of these offenses Be prepared to defend yourself by putting up strong defense.
A defendant's effort to gain benefits from a false statement will not be considered a fraud conviction in the absence of being "material," or containing significant information. The materiality requirement is tissue thin and could not be discernible by jurors. One example of economic misrepresentation is in commercial negotiations. But it is not clear under the law exactly what constitutes materiality. It often involves assertions which are "inexact," but may be either true or false in different circumstances.
The prosecution has to prove that the defendant intended to defraud the victim through giving false information, in addition to making use of U.S. postal mail to commit mail fraud. The Eleventh Circuit pattern jury instruction states that the statement has to be fraudulent in the event that the defendant "had a reason to believe" it wasn't a factual statement that was intended to defraud victim. The statement should also be done using "reckless disregard for the truth". It is also possible to make a statement which conceals or lies half-truths.
The materiality of the transaction is an essential element to a conviction for mail fraud. This is because the federal court requires the defendant had the intention of fraud to defraud the receiver of their property. This can be established through direct evidence or through an indifference to the facts. It is also possible to commit mail fraud even if the scheme did not work. A defendant could be found guilty of fraud committed through mail based on false claims about a product or service even though they weren't directly involved in.
The most important issue to ask in a mail fraud case is "How is mail fraud proven in the court?" The prosecution doesn't have to show that the defendant actually made the send. It only needs to show that he was responsible for it. Fortunately the government doesn't have to prove that the defendant even knew it was a fact that he had sent the item. If, for instance, the defendant was to give a contract to the person he was referring to, it would be an infraction of his obligation to render honest services.
Mail fraud is often combined with the use of bribery. John Wiley Price's case of bribery is an example. Federal prosecutors like to include mail fraud charges with financial fraud cases. While bribery is a common criminal act, mail fraud charges are less frequent. The aim of the court is to show that the defendant planned to defraud his customers.