Fraud/Financial · National · FY2015–FY2025
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement
5,061 federal cases in FY2025 - upper-third caseload (> 854 cases).
- 29.0
- Avg months FY2025
- below the national average
- 5,061
- Federal cases
- 38%
- Within guidelines
- low guideline adherence
- 86%
- Guilty plea
Fraud caseload fingerprint · FY2025
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement sits in the upper third of USSC offense types by FY2025 caseload (5,061 cases), so the national record is thick enough that district tables below are slices of a large ledger rather than near-complete inventories. YoY volume -230 vs FY2024. Mean OL 1.9 (OL≥6 11%) on 5,061 rows.
- Mean CH
- 0.71
- Avg sentence
- 29.0 mo
- No prior
- 28%
- Below GL
- 58%
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement ranks #4 of 30 by caseload (5,061 cases) and #15 of 30 by average sentence (29.0 months).
- #4
- Caseload of 30
- #15
- Avg sentence of 30
- 29.0 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 5,061
- This offense cases FY2025
Caseload rank covers every district with at least one FY case. Average-sentence rank covers districts with at least 100 cases so a thin docket cannot top the list. Offense ranks cover the 30 published guideline types. Averages follow offense mix, not court character.
Fraud FY2024→FY2025: +1 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 5,061 | 29.0 | 40.9 | 43.3 | 38% | 4% | 58% |
| FY2024 | 5,291 | 28.0 | 37.3 | 41.1 | 39% | 4% | 58% |
| FY2023 | 5,192 | 28.4 | 44.2 | 46.2 | 36% | 4% | 60% |
| FY2022 | 5,506 | 27.9 | 40.4 | 42.2 | 38% | 6% | 56% |
| FY2021 | 4,541 | 27.9 | 40.4 | 42.3 | 37% | 5% | 58% |
| FY2020 | 4,811 | 25.7 | 37.1 | 36.5 | 42% | 5% | 53% |
| FY2019 | 6,373 | 27.9 | 39.4 | 40.3 | 42% | 3% | 55% |
| FY2018 | 6,591 | 29.7 | 40.5 | 40.3 | 42% | 3% | 55% |
Fraud · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Delaware posts the longest average (130.0 mo, 10 cases , +348.3% vs national).
Where fraud/theft/embezzlement sentences sit among all federal sentences (FY2025)
Each bar counts imposed federal prison terms in that length band; the marker is this offense's average.
29 55th percentile longer than 55% of 61,431 federal sentences
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more federal sentences. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles · FY2025
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 10 | 130.0 | +348.3% |
| Guam | 4 | 104.5 | +260.4% |
| North Dakota | 5 | 70.0 | +141.3% |
| Hawaii | 7 | 51.7 | +78.2% |
| Western Michigan | 32 | 51.5 | +77.6% |
| Southern Illinois | 33 | 48.2 | +66.3% |
| Colorado | 29 | 47.4 | +63.3% |
| Middle Alabama | 27 | 46.5 | +60.4% |
| Middle Louisiana | 10 | 46.4 | +60.0% |
| Western North Carolina | 55 | 41.7 | +43.9% |
| Northern Texas | 110 | 40.7 | +40.3% |
| Middle North Carolina | 13 | 40.5 | +39.7% |
| Western Wisconsin | 6 | 40.3 | +38.8% |
| Southern Iowa | 24 | 40.1 | +38.3% |
| Western Missouri | 50 | 39.7 | +36.8% |
| Northern Iowa | 23 | 39.7 | +36.8% |
| Southern Alabama | 52 | 39.3 | +35.6% |
| Northern Illinois | 115 | 39.0 | +34.4% |
| Eastern California | 50 | 38.6 | +33.0% |
| Southern Georgia | 21 | 36.1 | +24.4% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(5,061 cases).
- Firearms · 8,009 cases · Firearms/Weapons
- Other Offenses · 1,665 cases · Other
- Child Pornography · 1,416 cases · Sex Offenses
- Sexual Abuse · 1,403 cases · Sex Offenses
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide offense types by ABS(29.0 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Stalking/Harassing · 30.1 mo avg · Violent Crime
- Burglary/Trespass · 27.4 mo avg · Other
- Bribery/Corruption · 25.6 mo avg · Fraud/Financial
- Tax · 22.4 mo avg · Fraud/Financial
Same-category peers · Fraud/Financial
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement data shows
In FY2025, 5,061 federal defendants were sentenced for fraud/theft/embezzlement, with an average sentence of 29.0 months -- 22.9 months below the national average across all offenses.
- 38% of fraud/theft/embezzlement sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 58% below (downward departures or variances, often for cooperation). The below-range rate reflects how frequently prosecutors offer departure motions for substantial assistance. How the guidelines work
- The highest-average district for fraud/theft/embezzlement in FY2025 was Delaware, averaging 130.0 months -- 101 months above the national average. Case-specific factors within this offense (criminal history, quantity or aggravating circumstances, cooperation) drive that gap as much as any district-level pattern; the comparison below shows the full spread. Delaware data
- The average sentence for fraud/theft/embezzlement has fallen 0.7 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 29.7 mo; FY2025: 29.0 mo). The trend chart above compares actual sentences against the guideline midpoint each year. Post-Booker sentencing trends
Descriptive USSC aggregates, not legal advice; individual sentences depend on case-specific facts.
PlainSentencing is rendered directly from the United States Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. Report a data issue on this page.