The FBI investigates more than 200 categories of federal crime, but its work is organized around nine officially designated priorities: terrorism, counterintelligence, cyber crime, public corruption, civil rights, organized crime, white-collar crime, violent crime, and weapons of mass destruction.1Federal Bureau of Investigation. Federal Bureau of Investigation Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026 As the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, it handles cases that cross state lines, involve federal interests, or fall outside the practical reach of state and local police.2Federal Bureau of Investigation. What Is the FBI? Not every federal offense triggers FBI involvement. Prosecutors weigh the seriousness of the conduct and whether other agencies can handle it before committing bureau resources.
Terrorism and Espionage
Terrorism cases are built on federal definitions that separate domestic from international acts. Both cover dangerous, criminal conduct meant to intimidate civilians or coerce the government through violence, mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping. The difference is geographic: domestic terrorism happens primarily inside the United States, while international terrorism occurs mainly abroad or crosses national borders.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2331 – Definitions Much of the investigative effort goes into disrupting plots before they reach execution.
Counterintelligence focuses on spying and the theft of classified information. Under the Espionage Act, gathering, sharing, or mishandling national defense information in ways that could harm the United States or benefit a foreign power is a federal crime.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 793 – Gathering, Transmitting or Losing Defense Information A basic violation carries up to ten years in prison. Delivering defense secrets to a foreign government can bring life imprisonment, and if the leak leads to a death or involves nuclear weapons, military satellites, or war plans, the death penalty is available.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC Ch. 37 – Espionage and Censorship
Cyber Crime
The FBI holds primary authority over computer intrusions that involve espionage, foreign counterintelligence, or classified data. Its cyber work runs under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which covers hacking into government or private systems, ransomware, and digital extortion.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1030 – Fraud and Related Activity in Connection With Computers
Penalties scale with the type of attack and the offender’s history:
- Unauthorized access to classified data: up to 10 years for a first offense, up to 20 for a repeat offender.
- Hacking for financial gain or to steal valuable data: up to 5 years, or 10 on a repeat.
- Computer extortion, including ransomware: up to 5 years, or 10 on a repeat.
- Attacks that damage computer systems: up to 10 years, rising to 20 after a prior conviction or when the attack recklessly causes serious bodily injury.
Fines for these felonies can reach $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for an organization.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3571 – Sentence of Fine In practice, ransomware operators are usually charged under several statutes at once, including wire fraud with its own 20-year maximum, so actual exposure often runs higher than any single count suggests.
State-sponsored operations, breaches that affect millions of people, and attacks on critical infrastructure make up a growing share of the workload. Under the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, operators of critical infrastructure will eventually have to report significant cyber incidents to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within 72 hours, and ransomware payments within 24 hours, once final regulations take effect.8CISA. Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA)
Public Corruption and White-Collar Fraud
Bribing a federal official is one of the clearest triggers for FBI involvement. Offering anything of value to influence an official decision carries up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to three times the value of the bribe, and potential disqualification from any federal office.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 201 – Bribery of Public Officials and Witnesses
Money laundering cases target people trying to disguise the origins of illegal proceeds. A conviction can bring up to 20 years and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1956 – Laundering of Monetary Instruments Property tied to laundering, such as real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles, is also subject to civil forfeiture, which lets the government seize it through a court proceeding even before any criminal conviction.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 981 – Civil Forfeiture
Healthcare fraud is another major focus. Submitting false claims to any healthcare benefit program, whether Medicare, Medicaid, or a private insurer, carries up to 10 years. If the fraud causes serious bodily injury, the ceiling jumps to 20 years, and if someone dies as a result, the penalty can be life.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1347 – Health Care Fraud
Violent Crime With a Federal Hook
Most violent crime stays with state and local police. It becomes federal when it crosses jurisdictional lines or touches a federally protected interest.
Kidnapping is a federal charge when the victim is transported across state lines, held on federal property, or taken on an aircraft. Sentences range from a term of years to life, and if anyone dies during the kidnapping, the penalty rises to mandatory life imprisonment or the death penalty.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1201 – Kidnapping
Bank robbery lands in federal court whenever the targeted institution is a Federal Reserve member, holds federally insured deposits, or is organized under federal banking laws. Robbing such a bank by force or intimidation carries up to 20 years.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2113 – Bank Robbery and Incidental Crimes The FBI also tracks fugitives who flee across state lines to avoid local arrest.
Organized Crime and Racketeering
Criminal organizations that operate across regions are investigated under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, better known as RICO. Congress passed the statute to dismantle groups that were draining billions from the American economy through illegal gambling, drug trafficking, theft, and the corruption of legitimate businesses and unions.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC Ch. 96 – Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
A RICO conviction carries up to 20 years, or life if any of the underlying crimes carries a life sentence. Courts must also order the forfeiture of any property the defendant acquired, maintained, or derived from the enterprise, including business interests, real estate, and financial accounts.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1963 – Criminal Penalties The statute lets investigators go after leadership and financial infrastructure rather than only individual street-level crimes.
Civil Rights Cases
The FBI investigates hate crimes when someone is targeted because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. A conviction carries up to 10 years, or life if the attack kills someone.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 249 – Hate Crime Acts
Government employees who abuse their authority can be prosecuted under “color of law” statutes. When a law enforcement officer, corrections officer, or other official willfully deprives someone of their constitutional rights, the base penalty is up to one year. If the violation causes bodily injury or involves a dangerous weapon, the maximum rises to 10 years. If the victim dies, or if the violation involves kidnapping, sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, the sentence can reach life imprisonment or the death penalty.18GovInfo. 18 USC 242 – Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law
Human trafficking is a major piece of the civil rights portfolio. Sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, or involving a victim under 14, carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life. When the victim is between 14 and 17 and no force is involved, the mandatory minimum is 10 years.19Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1591 – Sex Trafficking of Children or by Force, Fraud, or Coercion Forced labor, meaning compelling someone to work through threats, physical restraint, or abuse of the legal system, is punishable by up to 20 years, or life if it results in a death or involves kidnapping or sexual abuse.20Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1589 – Forced Labor
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapons of mass destruction are a standalone investigative priority. The category covers attempts to develop, acquire, or deploy chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons. These cases often overlap with counterterrorism work, because using or threatening to use such weapons against civilians falls squarely inside the federal definitions of terrorism. The FBI coordinates with other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, to identify and disrupt threats before a weapon is assembled or deployed.
When a Crime Becomes a Federal Case
A crime being federal on paper does not mean the FBI or a U.S. Attorney will take it. Federal prosecutors follow guidelines that ask whether a case serves a “substantial federal interest” before resources are committed. The main factors:
- Seriousness of the offense and whether the harm has national significance.
- Whether the case aligns with current federal law enforcement priorities.
- The deterrent value of a federal prosecution over a state one.
- Whether state or local authorities can handle the case just as effectively, including securing an adequate sentence.
- The defendant’s criminal history and connection to larger criminal networks.
- Victim interests, particularly when victims span multiple states or federal programs have been defrauded.
When state or local prosecutors can do the job, federal authorities often defer.21United States Department of Justice. Principles of Federal Prosecution That is why one bank robbery may be prosecuted locally and another federally on similar facts.
Reporting Something to the FBI
Tips on terrorism, public corruption, civil rights violations, and most other categories go through the online form at tips.fbi.gov.22Federal Bureau of Investigation. Electronic Tip Form The form is for nonemergency reports. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
For cyber-enabled crimes, including online fraud, ransomware, identity theft, and business email scams, use the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. IC3 is the central hub for these reports, which are analyzed and may be referred to the appropriate FBI field office or partner agency.23Internet Crime Complaint Center. IC3 Home Page From 2020 through 2024, victims who filed IC3 complaints reported more than $50 billion in combined losses. Because of the volume, IC3 cannot respond to every submission individually, but each report feeds the FBI’s ability to track patterns and build cases.