Federal Computer Fraud Lawyer
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What is federal computer fraud?
Federal computer fraud charges can arise from fraudulent or unauthorized activities involving certain computer systems, including computers used by the federal government, banks, and other financial institutions. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) is used to address these types of computer-related offenses. Federal computer fraud charges can include improperly accessing computer systems, obtaining protected information, computer extortion, password trafficking, and accessing government computers.
- Federal statute
- 18 U.S.C. § 1030
- Investigated by
- FBI, U.S. Secret Service
- Federal courts
- U.S. District Courts nationwide
- Maximum standard penalty
- 10 years | $250,000
There are many potential penalties when convicted of federal computer fraud, which depend heavily on the conduct involved. For example, offenses involving trespassing in a government computer can carry one to ten years in prison, while obtaining national security information through a government computer can result in ten to 20 years. Other offenses involving accessing and obtaining computer information, computer extortion, or password trafficking can also result in substantial federal prison sentences.
Federal computer fraud allegations can therefore expose a defendant to serious consequences, particularly when government systems, financial institutions, sensitive information, or attempts to obtain information are unlawfully involved. Because the potential sentence varies according to the specific computer activity alleged, the exact charge and circumstances of the case can play an important role in determining the penalties a defendant could face under federal law, underscoring the importance of working with an experienced federal computer fraud charges attorney when facing these types of charges.
Where Federal Computer Fraud Charges Are Prosecuted
Federal computer fraud crimes are prosecuted in the federal court system, with cases generally handled in one of the state’s U.S. District Courts, based on where the alleged offense occurred. The specific district and court location where a federal computer fraud case is prosecuted generally depends on where the alleged criminal conduct occurred and the counties served by that district.
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