White-collar prosecutions cover fraud, public corruption, securities offenses, and other nonviolent financial crimes. They are typically investigated over months or years — by grand jury subpoena, search warrant, and document production — before any charge is filed. The charging statutes are usually familiar: 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (mail fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy).
White-collar investigations rarely begin with an arrest. The government obtains records by grand jury subpoena, interviews witnesses, and sometimes executes search warrants. Targets often learn of the investigation from a subpoena to a bank, an employer, or a business partner — or from a target letter.
When charges come, they usually include wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, because nearly every modern scheme touches email or electronic funds transfer. A conspiracy count under 18 U.S.C. § 371 is frequently added to join multiple defendants or to aggregate conduct across districts.
The Research Desk maintains reference pages on the fraud statutes, conspiracy, sentencing, and the pretrial process, each quoting the controlling statute or rule from its primary source.
Published by the Corydon Law Research Desk — Corydon Law Research Desk, publisher — former federal prosecutor. This page is reference information about federal law and procedure, not legal advice.
Sources listed above were accessed and verified on August 20, 2026. Statutes and rules are quoted from the linked primary pages as published on that date. Information on this site is general in nature and is not legal advice.
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