BICKHAM LAW · FEDERAL WHITE-COLLAR DEFENSE

New Orleans Wire Fraud Defense Attorney

Strategic Representation in Federal Investigations and Prosecutions

A wire-fraud investigation can place a person’s freedom, career, business, and reputation at risk. Bickham Law represents clients facing federal inquiries and charges involving emails, telephone calls, electronic payments, online platforms, and other interstate communications.

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Wire Fraud Is a Broad Federal Charge

Federal prosecutors may allege wire fraud when they believe a person intentionally participated in a scheme to obtain money or property through materially false or fraudulent representations and used interstate wire communications to advance that scheme. The alleged wire can involve an email, text message, telephone call, bank transfer, payment processor, website, or other electronic communication. The government must prove every required element beyond a reasonable doubt.

The statutory text appears in 18 U.S.C. § 1343. The application of the law depends on the indictment, evidence, controlling precedent, and facts of the individual matter.

Matters We Evaluate

Representation Before and After Charges

Investigation and grand-jury stage

Early representation can help identify the investigating agency, preserve favorable evidence, evaluate exposure, communicate with prosecutors when appropriate, and prepare a lawful response to subpoenas or search activity. A subpoena is not the same as an indictment, but it should not be ignored.

Indictment, motions, trial, and resolution

After charges, the defense may examine the sufficiency of the indictment, alleged scheme, evidence of intent, materiality, electronic records, searches and seizures, statements, loss calculations, and the role attributed to each person. The appropriate strategy may include motions, negotiation, trial preparation, or a combination of approaches.

Sentencing and collateral consequences

If a conviction occurs, contested issues may include loss, number of victims, role, sophisticated means, restitution, forfeiture, and other guideline or statutory questions. Professional licensing, employment, business relationships, immigration status, and reputation may also require attention.

Digital Evidence Requires Careful Review

Wire-fraud cases often depend on large collections of email, cloud files, financial records, mobile-device data, platform records, and electronically stored information. A defense review may ask who created or controlled an account, whether records are complete, whether a communication is authentic, what surrounding messages show, and whether the government’s timeline supports its theory.

• Emails, texts, messaging applications, and attachments
• Bank, accounting, payroll, tax, and payment-platform records
• Cloud storage, access logs, metadata, and device information
• Contracts, disclosures, applications, policies, and internal procedures
• Witness interviews and communications showing context or good faith
• Search warrants, subpoenas, interview reports, and agency records

Potential Defenses and Disputed Issues

No defense applies automatically. Depending on the evidence, disputed issues may include lack of fraudulent intent, good-faith belief, immaterial statements, incomplete or misleading context, identity or authorization, insufficient connection to the alleged scheme, unreliable witnesses, evidentiary defects, or constitutional violations. Civil liability, regulatory noncompliance, or poor business judgment is not necessarily federal wire fraud.

Why Choose Bickham Law?

Attorney Raphael “Ralph” Bickham has served Louisiana clients since 2006 and provides direct, responsive representation. His federal-court admissions include the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Each matter receives an individualized assessment; prior results do not guarantee a future outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if an agent asks to interview me?

Remain calm and do not make false statements. You may decline an interview and request counsel. Even a person who believes they did nothing wrong can create risk by guessing, minimizing, or speaking without knowing what evidence agents possess.

Can one email or transfer support a wire-fraud charge?

Prosecutors may rely on a particular interstate communication they claim helped execute a broader scheme. Whether the evidence proves the statutory elements is a fact- and law-specific question.

Is wire fraud always charged by itself?

No. An indictment may also allege conspiracy, mail fraud, bank fraud, false statements, money laundering, identity offenses, tax violations, or forfeiture, depending on the government’s theory.

What if the matter began as a business disagreement?

A commercial dispute does not automatically become a crime. The defense should carefully examine the parties’ agreements, disclosures, performance, communications, accounting, and evidence concerning intent.

Does Bickham Law offer a free consultation?

Yes. The firm offers a free confidential initial consultation, subject to a conflict check. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship until an engagement is accepted in writing.

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This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Viewing this page or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results depend on the facts and applicable law.