Under the federal wire fraud statute, a scheme to obtain money by false pretenses, carried out by wire, radio or television communication, can be punished by a fine or up to 20 years in prison, or both.

Checked against its source on October 17, 2026

In the source's own words

“shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both”

18 U.S. Code 1343: Fraud by wire, radio, or television, Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, Cornell LII, n.d., Final sentence of the statute's first paragraph.

What it measures: The statute covers a scheme to defraud or to get money or property by false pretenses that uses wire, radio or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce. Federal prosecutors use it for many scams that involve a phone call or a message.
What it does not show: The statute sets the maximum penalty. Actual sentences depend on the case, and whether a voice clone is charged as fraud depends on the facts. The text does not mention voice cloning.