wire fraud

noun

: fraud committed using a means of electronic communication (such as a telephone or computer)

Examples of wire fraud in a Sentence

He was charged with wire fraud.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Holmes in 2022 was convicted of three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for deceiving investors. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 In 2022, a jury found Holmes guilty on four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. — Jade Tran, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026 Rodriguez Melendez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud last year and was sentenced to probation. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 The small group documented Holmes in the month leading up to her 11-year prison sentence for wire fraud and defrauding investors in her tech start-up Theranos. — Jackson Murphy, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wire fraud

Word History

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wire fraud was in 1951

Rhymes for wire fraud

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Browse Nearby Words

wire fox terrier
wire fraud
wire gauge
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Cite this Entry

“Wire fraud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wire%20fraud. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Legal Definition

wire fraud

see also:
fraud

More from Merriam-Webster on wire fraud

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wire fraud

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