943.20 Annotation
Under sub. (1) (d), it is not necessary that the person who parts with property be induced to do so by a false and fraudulent scheme; the person must be deceived by a false representation that is part of such a scheme. Schneider v. State,
60 Wis. 2d 765,
211 N.W.2d 511 (1973).
943.20 Annotation
In abolishing the action for breach of promise to marry, the legislature did not sanction either civil or criminal fraud by the breaching party against the property of a duped victim. Restrictions on civil actions for fraud are not applicable to related criminal actions. Lambert v. State,
73 Wis. 2d 590,
243 N.W.2d 524 (1976).
943.20 Annotation
Sub. (1) (a) should be read in the disjunctive so as to prohibit both the taking of, and the exercise of unauthorized control over, property of another. The sale of stolen property is thus prohibited. State v. Genova,
77 Wis. 2d 141,
252 N.W.2d 380 (1977).
943.20 Annotation
The state may not charge a defendant under sub. (1) (a) in the disjunctive by alleging that the defendant took and carried away or used or transferred. Jackson v. State,
92 Wis. 2d 1,
284 N.W.2d 685 (Ct. App. 1979).
943.20 Annotation
Circumstantial evidence of owner nonconsent was sufficient to support a jury's verdict. State v. Lund,
99 Wis. 2d 152,
298 N.W.2d 533 (1980).
943.20 Annotation
Section 943.20 (1) (e) does not unconstitutionally imprison one for debt. State v. Roth,
115 Wis. 2d 163,
339 N.W.2d 807 (Ct. App. 1983).
943.20 Annotation
A person may be convicted under s. 943.20 (1) (a) for concealing property and be separately convicted for transferring that property. State v. Tappa,
127 Wis. 2d 155,
378 N.W.2d 883 (1985).
943.20 Annotation
A violation of sub. (1) (d) does not require proof that the accused personally received property. State v. O'Neil,
141 Wis. 2d 535,
416 N.W.2d 77 (Ct. App. 1987).
943.20 Annotation
"Obtains title to property," as used in sub. (1) (d), includes obtaining property under a lease by fraudulent misrepresentation. State v. Meado,
163 Wis. 2d 789,
472 N.W.2d 567 (Ct. App. 1991).
943.20 Annotation
The federal tax on a fraudulently obtained airline ticket was properly included in its value for determining whether the offense was a felony under sub. (3). State v. McNearney,
175 Wis. 2d 485, N.W.2d (Ct. App. 1993).
943.20 Annotation
The definition of "bailee" under s. 407.102 (1) is not applicable to sub. (1) (b); definitions of "bailment" and are "bailee" discussed. State v. Kuhn,
178 Wis. 2d 428,
504 N.W.2d 405 (Ct. App. 1993).
943.20 Annotation
When the factual basis for a plea to felony theft does not establish the value of the property taken, the conviction must be set aside and replaced with a misdemeanor conviction. State v. Harrington,
181 Wis. 2d 985,
512 N.W.2d 261 (Ct. App. 1994).
943.20 Annotation
The words "uses," "transfers," "conceals," and "retains possession" in sub. (1) (b) are not synonyms describing the crime of theft but describe separate offenses. A jury must be instructed that there must be unanimous agreement on the manner in which the statute was violated. State v. Seymour,
183 Wis. 2d 682,
515 N.W.2d 874 (1994).
943.20 Annotation
Theft from the person includes theft of a purse from the handle of an occupied wheelchair. State v. Hughes,
218 Wis. 2d 538,
582 N.W.2d 49 (Ct. App. 1998),
97-0638.
943.20 Annotation
When the victim had pushed her purse against a car door with her leg and the defendant's action caused her to fall back, dislodging the purse, his act of taking it constituted taking property from the victim's person under sub. (3) (d) 2. State v. Graham, 2000 WI App 138,
237 Wis. 2d 620,
614 N.W.2d 504,
99-1960.
943.20 Annotation
Multiple convictions for the theft of an equal number of firearms arising from one incident did not violate the protection against double jeopardy. State v. Trawitzki, 2001 WI 77,
244 Wis. 2d 523,
628 N.W.2d 801,
99-2234.
943.20 Annotation
Agency is not necessarily an element of theft by fraud when the accused obtains another person's property through an intermediary. State v. Timblin, 2002 WI App 304,
259 Wis. 2d 299,
657 N.W.2d 89,
02-0275.
943.20 Annotation
Multiple charges and multiple punishments for separate fraudulent acts was not multiplicitous. State v. Swinson, 2003 WI App 45,
261 Wis. 2d 633,
660 N.W.2d 12,
02-0395.
943.20 Annotation
A party to a business transaction has a duty to disclose a fact when: 1) the fact is material to the transaction; 2) the party with knowledge of the fact knows the other party is about to enter into the transaction under a mistake as to the fact; 3) the fact is peculiarly and exclusively within the knowledge of one party, and the mistaken party could not reasonably be expected to discover it; and 4) on account of the objective circumstances, the mistaken party would reasonably expect disclosure of the fact. If a duty to disclose exists, failure to disclose is a representation under sub. (1) (d). State v. Ploeckelman, 2007 WI App 31,
299 Wis. 2d 251,
729 N.W.2d 784,
06-1180.
943.20 Annotation
The intent of the "from the person" penalty enhancer under sub. (3) (e) was to cover circumstances that made stealing particularly dangerous and undesirable. Although the cash register the defendant was attempting to steal was not connected to the manager at the register, at the time of the attempted theft the manager was within arm's reach of the defendant while the defendant was smashing the register and was in constructive possession of the money when the attempted theft occurred even if the money was not physically touching her person. The manager's constructive possession of the money made this a particularly dangerous and undesirable theft. State v. Tidwell, 2009 WI App 153,
321 Wis. 2d 596,
774 N.W.2d 650,
08-2846.
943.20 Annotation
A landlord who failed to return or account for a security deposit ordinarily could not be prosecuted under this section. 60 Atty. Gen. 1.
943.20 Annotation
State court rulings that unauthorized control was sufficient to support a conviction under sub. (1) (d) were not an unlawful broadening of the offense so as to deprive the defendant of notice and the opportunity to defend. Hawkins v. Mathews,
495 F. Supp. 323 (1980).
943.20 Annotation
Sub. (1) (b) was intended to target those entrusted with the property of another who retain or use that property in a way that does not comport with the owner's wishes. The statute applies only to those who are entrusted with custody or possession or money or property. It does not apply to a breach of contract case over whether a purchaser has met contractual conditions for obtaining a refund. Azamat v. American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
426 F. Supp. 2d 888 (2006).
943.201
943.201
Unauthorized use of an individual's personal identifying information or documents. 943.201(1)(a)
(a) "Personal identification document" means any of the following:
943.201(1)(a)2.
2. An individual's card or plate, if it can be used, alone or in conjunction with another access device, to obtain money, goods, services, or any other thing of value or benefit, or if it can be used to initiate a transfer of funds.
943.201(1)(a)3.
3. Any other device that is unique to, assigned to, or belongs to an individual and that is intended to be used to access services, funds, or benefits of any kind to which the individual is entitled.
943.201(1)(b)
(b) "Personal identifying information" means any of the following information:
943.201(1)(b)7.
7. An identification number assigned to an individual by his or her employer.
943.201(1)(b)12.
12. Any of the following, if it can be used, alone or in conjunction with any access device, to obtain money, goods, services, or any other thing of value or benefit, or if it can be used to initiate a transfer of funds:
943.201(1)(b)12.b.
b. An individual's electronic serial number, mobile identification number, personal identification number, or other telecommunications service, equipment, or instrument identifier.
943.201(1)(b)13.
13. An individual's unique biometric data, including fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image, or any other unique physical representation.
943.201(1)(b)14.
14. Any other information or data that is unique to, assigned to, or belongs to an individual and that is intended to be used to access services, funds, or benefits of any kind to which the individual is entitled.
943.201(1)(b)15.
15. Any other information that can be associated with a particular individual through one or more identifiers or other information or circumstances.
943.201(2)
(2) Whoever, for any of the following purposes, intentionally uses, attempts to use, or possesses with intent to use any personal identifying information or personal identification document of an individual, including a deceased individual, without the authorization or consent of the individual and by representing that he or she is the individual, that he or she is acting with the authorization or consent of the individual, or that the information or document belongs to him or her is guilty of a Class H felony:
943.201(2)(a)
(a) To obtain credit, money, goods, services, employment, or any other thing of value or benefit.
943.201(2)(c)
(c) To harm the reputation, property, person, or estate of the individual.
943.201(3)
(3) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant was authorized by law to engage in the conduct that is the subject of the prosecution. A defendant who raises this affirmative defense has the burden of proving the defense by a preponderance of the evidence.
943.201(4)
(4) If an individual reports to a law enforcement agency for the jurisdiction which is the individual's residence that personal identifying information or a personal identifying document belonging to the individual reasonably appears to be in the possession of another in violation of this section or that another has used or has attempted to use it in violation of this section, the agency shall prepare a report on the alleged violation. If the law enforcement agency concludes that it appears not to have jurisdiction to investigate the violation, it shall inform the individual which law enforcement agency may have jurisdiction. A copy of a report prepared under this subsection shall be furnished upon request to the individual who made the request, subject to payment of any reasonable fee for the copy.
943.201 Annotation
Because bail is statutorily defined as "monetary conditions of release," and can be expressed as cash, a bond, or both, one who misappropriates another's identity and uses it to obtain lower bail in a criminal case has done so to obtain credit or money within the meaning of this section. State v. Peters, 2003 WI 88,
263 Wis. 2d 475,
665 N.W.2d 171,
01-3267.
943.201 Annotation
A violation of this section is a continuing offense that is complete when the defendant performs the last act that, viewed alone, is a crime. An offense continues after fraudulently obtained phone and credit accounts are closed only if the defendant received a "thing of value or benefit" after the accounts are closed. Here, once those accounts were closed, the benefits to the defendant ended. State v. Lis, 2008 WI App 82,
311 Wis. 2d 691,
751 N.W.2d 891,
07-2357.
943.201 Annotation
Although the purpose of harming an individual's reputation is an element of identity theft, the statute does not directly punish for the intent to defame and indirectly punish for disclosure of defamatory information, in violation of the 1st Amendment. This section criminalizes the whole act of using someone's identity without permission plus using the identity for one of the enumerated purposes, including harming another's reputation. The statute does not criminalize each of its component parts standing alone. This section neither prohibits the defendant from disseminating information about a public official nor prevents the public from receiving that information. State v. Baron, 2008 WI App 90,
312 Wis. 2d 789,
754 N.W.2d 175,
07-1289.
943.201 Annotation
As applied in this case, sub. (2) (c) is content based and regulates speech because whether the defendant's conduct was prohibited depended entirely upon whether the defendant's speech, i.e., the content of e-mails sent using another individual's identity, was intended to be reputation-harming to that other individual. The statute survives strict scrutiny because the statute is narrowly tailored to apply only when the defendant intentionally uses an individual's personal information to harm that individual's reputation. The statute does not prevent revealing reputation-harming information so long as the method chosen does not entail pretending to be the targeted individual. State v. Baron, 2009 WI 58,
318 Wis. 2d 60,
769 N.W.2d 34,
07-1289.
943.203
943.203
Unauthorized use of an entity's identifying information or documents. 943.203(1)(a)
(a) "Entity" means a person other than an individual.
943.203(1)(b)
(b) "Identification document" means any of the following:
943.203(1)(b)2.
2. An entity's card or plate, if it can be used, alone or in conjunction with another access device, to obtain money, goods, services, or any other thing of value or benefit, or if it can be used to initiate a transfer of funds.
943.203(1)(b)3.
3. Any other device that is unique to, assigned to, or belongs to an entity and that is intended to be used to access services, funds, or benefits of any kind to which the entity is entitled.
943.203(1)(c)
(c) "Identifying information" means any of the following information:
943.203(1)(c)6.
6. Any of the following, if it can be used, alone or in conjunction with any access device, to obtain money, goods, services, or any other thing of value or benefit, or if it can be used to initiate a transfer of funds:
943.203(1)(c)6.b.
b. An entity's electronic serial number, mobile identification number, entity identification number, or other telecommunications service, equipment, or instrument identifier.
943.203(1)(c)7.
7. Any other information or data that is unique to, assigned to, or belongs to an entity and that is intended to be used to access services, funds, or benefits of any kind to which the entity is entitled.
943.203(1)(c)8.
8. Any other information that can be associated with a particular entity through one or more identifiers or other information or circumstances.
943.203(2)
(2) Whoever, for any of the following purposes, intentionally uses, attempts to use, or possesses with intent to use any identifying information or identification document of an entity without the authorization or consent of the entity and by representing that the person is the entity or is acting with the authorization or consent of the entity is guilty of a Class H felony:
943.203(2)(a)
(a) To obtain credit, money, goods, services, or anything else of value or benefit.
943.203(2)(b)
(b) To harm the reputation or property of the entity.
943.203(3)
(3) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant was authorized by law to engage in the conduct that is the subject of the prosecution. A defendant who raises this affirmative defense has the burden of proving the defense by a preponderance of the evidence.
943.203(4)
(4) If an entity reports to a law enforcement agency for the jurisdiction in which the entity is located that identifying information or an identification document belonging to the entity reasonably appears to be in the possession of another in violation of this section or that another has used or has attempted to use it in violation of this section, the agency shall prepare a report on the alleged violation. If the law enforcement agency concludes that it appears not to have jurisdiction to investigate the violation, it shall inform the entity which law enforcement agency may have jurisdiction. A copy of a report prepared under this subsection shall be furnished upon request to the entity that made the request, subject to payment of any reasonable fee for the copy.
943.203 History
History: 2003 a. 36,
320.
943.205
943.205
Theft of trade secrets. 943.205(1)
(1) Whoever with intent to deprive or withhold from the owner thereof the control of a trade secret, or with intent to appropriate a trade secret to his or her own use or the use of another not the owner, and without authority of the owner, does any of the following may be penalized as provided in
sub. (3):
943.205(1)(a)
(a) Takes, uses, transfers, conceals, exhibits or retains possession of property of the owner representing a trade secret.
943.205(1)(b)
(b) Makes or causes to be made a copy of property of the owner representing a trade secret.
