Conspiracy is one of the most commonly used charges in federal criminal cases because it gives prosecutors broad power to target multiple individuals — even those who never directly committed the underlying crime. At the Law Offices of America, we provide strategic defense for clients accused of conspiracy and related federal offenses across the United States.
What Is a Federal Conspiracy?
Under U.S. federal law, a person can be charged with conspiracy when two or more people agree to commit a federal crime, and at least one person takes an overt step toward committing that crime. Importantly, the actual crime does not have to be completed for the conspiracy charge to apply.
Examples of federal conspiracy targets include:
Drug trafficking operations
Fraud or embezzlement rings
Money laundering schemes
Public corruption or bribery plots
Cybercrime coordination
Why Prosecutors Use Conspiracy Charges
Conspiracy laws allow federal prosecutors to:
Bring charges against more people, even with minimal involvement
Use broader types of evidence, including statements made by co-conspirators
Increase sentencing exposure, by tying defendants to the full scope of a criminal agreement
In many cases, statements or actions by one alleged co-conspirator can be used against others — even if they never met — as long as they were part of the same alleged conspiracy.
Legal Code Summary: Conspiracy Offenses & Penalties
According to federal law:
Conspiring to commit murder (even outside the U.S.) is punishable by life imprisonment.
Conspiring to falsely accuse someone of a crime may carry:
Up to 10 years in prison if the falsely alleged crime is punishable by life or up to 14 years
Up to 5 years in prison for lesser offences
Conspiring to commit any other indictable offense is punishable by the same penalty as the offense itself.Conspiring to commit a summary (misdemeanor) offense results in a summary conviction.
Additionally:
If someone in the U.S. conspires to commit an offense outside the U.S., they can still be prosecuted federally.
If someone outside the U.S. conspires to commit an offense inside the U.S., they are also subject to prosecution within the U.S. court system.
These cases can be tried in any U.S. jurisdiction, regardless of where the defendant is physically located at the time of the alleged offense.
Strategic Defense Against Conspiracy Charges
Federal conspiracy charges are serious and complex. If you are under investigation or facing allegations, it’s critical to work with a legal team that understands how to dismantle weak conspiracy theories and challenge the use of circumstantial or associative evidence.
At the Law Offices of America, we:
Challenge the existence or legality of the alleged “agreement”
Attack the credibility of co-conspirator statements
Seek to suppress evidence improperly obtained or admitted
Defend your rights vigorously through all stages of federal litigation
