North Carolina Jury Instruction — Conspiracy to Defraud United States is a legal guideline provided to juries in North Carolina that explains the elements and requirements of proving conspiracy to defraud the United States. This instruction aims to educate and assist juries in understanding the nature of this offense and its implications under North Carolina law. Conspiracy to defraud the United States is a serious federal offense that involves two or more individuals agreeing to engage in deceptive practices or unlawful acts with the intention to hinder, impede, or obstruct the lawful functions and operations of the United States government. Such activities can undermine the proper functioning of government agencies, financial systems, tax collection, or any other federal matter. When providing jurors with the North Carolina Jury Instruction — Conspiracy to Defraud United States, the following relevant keywords and elements are typically included: 1. Agreement: Jurors are instructed to consider whether there was an agreement between two or more individuals to commit fraudulent or deceptive acts against the United States. 2. Intent: Jurors must evaluate whether the defendants had the specific intention to defraud or hinder the lawful functions and operations of the United States government. 3. Act in Furtherance: Jurors are asked to determine whether any act was taken by the defendants in furtherance of the conspiracy. This act may not necessarily be an unlawful act itself, but any step towards achieving the illegal objective. 4. Knowledge: Jurors are instructed to evaluate whether the defendants had knowledge of the conspiracy and willfully participated in it. 5. United States: Jurors need to affirm whether the conspiracy aimed to defraud or obstruct the functions of a federal agency or any aspect of the federal government. It is important to note that specific types or variations of North Carolina Jury Instruction — Conspiracy to Defraud United States may exist, depending on the specific circumstances and details of the case being presented. However, the core elements mentioned above usually remain consistent, focusing on the agreement, intent, acts in furtherance, knowledge, and the impact on the United States.