wire fraud

American  

noun

1. the crime of using interstate wire, television, or radio communications with the intent to defraud.

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Etymology

Origin of wire fraud

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Prosecutors charged Mr. Van Dyke with commodities and wire fraud, among other violations, and the platforms cooperated with federal investigators.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

The problem is that the wire fraud statute does not clearly lay out what counts as a “scheme to defraud.”

From Slate • May 1, 2026

He has been charged with one count of wire fraud, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Possible charges by Eastern District of New York prosecutors include money laundering and wire fraud, some of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Any electronic transference of this document, by anyone unauthorized to have it, could be interpreted as an act of wire fraud.

From The Hacker Crackdown, law and disorder on the electronic frontier by Sterling, Bruce