Chicago Wire Fraud Lawyer

Most wire fraud cases begin long before anyone is arrested. Federal agents subpoena bank records, pull emails, and interview former employees or business partners. Many people first learn they are involved when an FBI agent calls asking for “just a few minutes,” or when a target letter arrives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. By then, prosecutors have usually been building the case for months.

Wire fraud is a federal felony that carries up to 20 years in prison for each count, and up to 30 years if the alleged scheme affected a bank or financial institution. If you are under investigation, have received a subpoena or target letter, or have already been indicted, what you do next matters. Early legal representation can change how the government views the case, and sometimes whether charges are filed at all.

The Law Office of Purav Bhatt, P.C. defends people accused of wire fraud and related federal fraud charges in Chicago and throughout the Northern District of Illinois. Founding attorney Purav Bhatt is a former Cook County prosecutor, licensed in both state and federal court, who has argued federal fraud cases in the Northern District of Illinois. When federal charges are on the table, that perspective shapes the defense from day one.

Call 773-791-9682 to Schedule a Defense Strategy Session.

What Prosecutors Must Prove in a Federal Wire Fraud Case

Wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 is written broadly, but the government still has to prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt. In general, federal prosecutors must show that:

You knowingly devised or took part in a scheme to defraud someone of money or property, or to obtain money or property through false information, pretenses, or promises.
The misrepresentations were material, meaning they were capable of influencing someone’s decision to part with money or property.
You acted with the specific intent to defraud, not by mistake, carelessness, or a business decision that went badly.
An interstate or foreign wire communication, such as an email, text, phone call, online payment, or wire transfer, was used to carry out the scheme.

The wire element is what gives this charge its reach. Almost every modern business deal or payment touches a wire somewhere, and each email or transfer can be charged as a separate count. That is how a single alleged scheme turns into a 10 or 15 count indictment.

The law also continues to shift. In May 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Kousisis v. United States that a wire fraud conviction does not require proof that anyone suffered a financial loss, as long as the defendant obtained money or property through materially false pretenses. In practice, that puts even more weight on intent and materiality, which are often where these cases are won or lost.

Wire Fraud Penalties and How Federal Sentencing Works

If you are convicted, the maximum penalties apply to each count:

Up to 20 years in federal prison.
Up to 30 years and fines up to $1,000,000 when the offense affects a financial institution or involves a presidentially declared disaster or emergency.
Fines up to $250,000, or up to twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater (18 U.S.C. § 3571).
Restitution and forfeiture of property connected to the offense. Courts ordered restitution in 79% of federal fraud, theft, and embezzlement cases in fiscal year 2024, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

Those maximums are the ceiling, not the forecast. Federal judges typically begin with the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and the guideline that governs wire fraud (USSG §2B1.1) is driven by money. The starting offense level is 7, and a loss table adds levels in steps as the dollar amount climbs. A loss over $550,000, for example, adds 14 levels on its own. Because loss is measured as the greater of actual loss or intended loss, the figure the court uses to determine the guideline range is often the most important fight in fraud cases that reach sentencing.

Among people sentenced under this guideline in fiscal year 2025, 75% received prison time and the average sentence was 23 months, even though 74% had little or no prior criminal history (U.S. Sentencing Commission). At the same time, 40% received sentences below the guideline range through downward variances. A clean record helps, but it is not a strategy. Careful work on the loss figure, mitigation, and acceptance of responsibility is what moves a sentence.

Charges That Often Come with Wire Fraud

Wire fraud is often the centerpiece of a larger indictment. Depending on the conduct, prosecutors may add:

Mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341, when the U.S. Postal Service or a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS was used.
Bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1344, common in loan, check, and mortgage fraud cases, with a maximum of 30 years.
Conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 1349, which carries the same maximum penalty as the underlying fraud.
Money laundering, when prosecutors claim proceeds were moved or spent to hide their source.
Aggravated identity theft under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A, which adds a mandatory two-year prison term that must run consecutively.

Illinois criminal law has its own version, too. Under 720 ILCS 5/17-24, state wire fraud is a Class 3 felony, which carries 2 to 5 years in prison. Cook County prosecutors may also bring related charges such as theft, embezzlement, or deceptive practices. Whether your case is prosecuted in state or federal court changes the rules, the timeline, and your exposure. For a deeper look at how these cases are built, read our guide to federal wire fraud investigations in Illinois.

How Wire Fraud Investigations Unfold in Chicago

Federal wire fraud cases here are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois and heard in federal court at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on South Dearborn Street. Investigations are typically run by agencies such as the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, or a federal inspector general’s office.

Warning signs include a grand jury subpoena for your records, a search warrant at your home or business, a call or visit from agents, or a target letter. Under the Justice Department’s own manual, a “target” is someone prosecutors believe they have substantial evidence against and view as a likely defendant. That letter is a warning, but it is also an opening.

Timing matters as well. Prosecutors generally have five years to bring wire fraud charges, and ten years if the scheme affected a financial institution (U.S. Department of Justice). Congress also extended the deadline to ten years for fraud tied to PPP and EIDL pandemic loans (Journal of Accountancy), so COVID loans from 2020 and 2021 remain open to prosecution for years to come.

What to Do If Federal Agents Contact You

Do not agree to an interview without a lawyer, even if you believe you did nothing wrong. A false or inaccurate statement to a federal agent can be charged as a separate felony under 18 U.S.C. § 1001, carrying up to five years (Congressional Research Service). Your right to remain silent exists for exactly this situation.
Do not delete emails, texts, files, or accounting records. Destroying evidence can lead to separate obstruction charges.
Do not contact co-workers or business partners to compare stories.
Write down what happened, gather any letters or subpoenas, and speak with a criminal defense attorney.

Early action pays off. Before an indictment, your attorney can engage with the Assistant U.S. Attorney on your behalf, provide documents and context the agents may not have, and in some cases influence whether charges are filed or what they look like. In one matter, a Chicago-area executive was accused by her employer of using a corporate card for more than $100,000 in personal purchases. Purav reached out early, negotiated directly with the company, and resolved the matter before any felony charges were filed. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

How We Defend Wire Fraud Charges

Wire fraud cases are built on records: emails, bank statements, wire confirmations, loan applications, accounting files, phone extractions, and sometimes the testimony of a cooperating witness who has their own reasons to talk. Our defense starts with that evidence. We review the government’s discovery ourselves, build a timeline of the fraudulent transactions prosecutors allege, and look for what their version leaves out.

Depending on the facts, a defense may focus on:

Intent and good faith. A failed business, an optimistic projection, or an honest error is not fraud. Prosecutors often point to personal gain as proof of intent, but evidence that you relied on accountants, lawyers, or company policy can undercut that claim.
Materiality. After Kousisis, whether a statement actually mattered to the decision is a central question.
A civil dispute, not a crime. Many allegations of fraudulent activities are really contract or investment disagreements that belong in civil court.
Who did what. Shared accounts, delegated email access, and multiple people handling transactions can make it hard to prove who sent a message or approved a payment.
Unlawful searches. Overbroad warrants for phones, cloud accounts, and business records can be challenged with motions to suppress.
Loss and sentencing issues. Challenging inflated loss figures, victim counts, and enhancements can reduce guideline exposure significantly.

Some cases belong in front of a jury, while others are better resolved through negotiation. Decisions such as whether to cooperate with prosecutors carry lasting consequences and should never be made without counsel who sees the full picture. Aggressive representation means little without preparation, and preparation is how favorable resolutions are reached in complex cases.

Why Clients Trust The Law Office of Purav Bhatt with Federal Fraud Cases

White collar crime defense requires an attorney who understands how prosecutors build a case. Purav Bhatt is a former Cook County prosecutor who has argued federal fraud cases in the Northern District of Illinois, and that experience shapes how he approaches the government’s evidence, the loss calculation, and the negotiations that drive most fraud cases.

The firm’s record reflects that approach:

Purav has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2015 and holds a 10/10 Avvo rating.
He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and was named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Attorneys in Illinois.
He teaches trial advocacy at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, formerly John Marshall Law School.
The firm has earned more than 280 five-star Google reviews.

The firm is also built around responsiveness and creative problem-solving. You will know where your case stands, and you will hear directly from your attorney when it matters.

Defense Strategy Sessions and What to Expect

Every new case starts with a paid Defense Strategy Session, a focused working session where we review the facts and map out next steps. To make it productive, bring any target letter, subpoena, search warrant, indictment, or correspondence from investigators, along with a rough timeline of the transactions at issue. We will walk through where the case stands, what the government likely has, and your realistic legal options.

The firm represents people who are under investigation for, or charged with, criminal offenses. It does not handle civil disputes, including lawsuits to recover lost money.

Wire Fraud Questions We Hear Often

Is Wire Fraud Always a Federal Crime?

No. Illinois has its own wire fraud statute, and some cases stay in Cook County or DuPage County court. However, cases involving interstate transfers, banks, or federal programs are commonly prosecuted federally, where penalties and sentencing rules are considerably harsher.

Can Wire Fraud Charges Be Dropped or Reduced?

Sometimes. Charges can be avoided through pre-indictment advocacy, dismissed or narrowed through motions, reduced through negotiation, or defeated at trial. No lawyer can promise a specific outcome, but earlier involvement generally means more options.

Do I Need a Lawyer If I Have Not Been Charged?

Yes, and this is often when a fraud lawyer can do the most good. Before charges, there is still room to present your side, correct the government’s assumptions, and protect you from statements or mistakes that make the case worse.

Talk to a Chicago Wire Fraud Lawyer Before You Talk to Investigators

The government has had time to prepare its case. You deserve the same. If you are under investigation or facing wire fraud charges in Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, or anywhere in the Northern District of Illinois, contact The Law Office of Purav Bhatt, P.C., a criminal defense law firm that treats every federal fraud allegation with the seriousness it demands.

Call 773-791-9682 to Schedule a Defense Strategy Session.