Conspiracy is an agreement between two or more parties to commit an unlawful act. A defendant can be convicted of conspiracy even if the intended crime is never committed. Federal conspiracy law differs in some respects from common-law and state-law conspiracy. This lesson focuses on federal law.

I.     Conspiracy to Commit Offense or to Defraud the United States (General Federal Conspiracy Statute) – 18 U.S.C. § 371

A conviction under the general federal conspiracy statute...