Penalties for mail fraud and wire fraud range into the extremely harsh but are widely variable. If convicted of a first-offense, the defendant can face up to 20 years. Depending on the scale of the plot, the penalty may instead be several years’ probation with no jail time. The prison sentence increases to a maximum 30 years per offense if the victim party is a financial institution or a federal disaster relief agency.
In addition to heavy fines, restitution to victims may be required and can run into the millions. Additionally, property can be seized to pay for restitution.