Prosecuting the Internet Fraud Case Without Going Broke

Abstract

This Article contends that viable Internet fraud cases are not prosecuted as consistently as other Internet-related crimes. One reason involves the financial cost of bringing these types of cases to court. In general, Internet fraud cases involve multiple victims who have incurred only a small financial loss. Typically, the victims are from all over the United States and beyond. Hence, prosecuting the fraud case to the fullest extent involves use of witnesses from outside of the jurisdiction of the prosecuting authority. The cost of housing these witnesses and transporting them to the court where the crime is being prosecuted often exceeds the budget available for such an expense. Consequently, many prosecutors decline prosecution. This Article explores various approaches to reduce the cost of prosecuting these crimes in order to ensure that Internet fraud cases are prosecuted rather than declined.

Keywords: Internet fraud, prosecution, cost reduction