Episode F1 — The Canadian Fraud Framework: From the Criminal Code to the Courts
Episode Summary
This episode introduces the basic structure of fraud in Canadian criminal law. It explains how the Criminal Code offence of fraud is built around conduct involving deceit, falsehood, or other fraudulent means, combined with deprivation or risk of deprivation to a person, the public, or another economic interest. Section 380 of the Criminal Code is the central statutory offence. The episode also explains why fraud law cannot be understood from the Criminal Code alone — the courts have shaped the practical meaning of dishonesty, deprivation, risk of loss, and the accused's mental state through major Supreme Court of Canada decisions.
What You'll Learn
- • How s. 380 defines the offence of fraud
- • Why dishonesty + deprivation is the core framework
- • How risk of deprivation fits alongside actual loss
- • Why investigators must read the Code together with the leading cases
Key Investigator Takeaways
- • Fraud = dishonest conduct + deprivation (or risk) + subjective knowledge
- • Look beyond the wording of s. 380 — the courts define key terms
- • Build the conduct case and the deprivation case in parallel
Cases Discussed
Visual Mind Map
Transcript
Show transcript
Welcome to Episode F1. We start with the structure of the fraud offence under s. 380 and how the Supreme Court of Canada has shaped its modern meaning…