§1343 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

Makes it a crime to send messages, calls, broadcasts, pictures, or other signals across state lines or to other countries to carry out a plan to cheat people out of money or property. A person who does this can be fined and/or jailed for up to 20 years. If the fraud involves benefits tied to a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency (as defined in the Stafford Act), or it affects a financial institution, the punishment can be a fine up to $1,000,000 and/or up to 30 years in prison.

Title 18, §1343

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

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.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2008—Pub. L. 110–179 inserted “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” after “If the violation”. 2002—Pub. L. 107–204 substituted “20 years” for “five years”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”. 1990—Pub. L. 101–647 substituted “30” for “20” before “years”. 1989—Pub. L. 101–73 inserted at end “If the violation affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.” 1956—Act July 11, 1956, substituted “transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce” for “transmitted by means of interstate wire, radio, or television communication”.

§1343 Fraud by Wire, Radio, or Television

Summary

Title 18, §1343

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata