What constitutes "fraud" in a legal context?

In a legal context, fraud is primarily characterized by deceitful practices aimed at achieving monetary or personal gain through the misrepresentation of facts. This definition underscores the essential elements of fraud, which include a false representation made knowingly, with the intent to deceive, and resulting in the victim's reliance on that misrepresentation to their detriment.

While the other choices may describe actions that are unethical or illegal, they do not encompass the full scope of what constitutes fraud. For example, illegal manipulation of financial records primarily concerns accounting or financial misconduct but doesn’t necessarily imply the broader deceitful practices that fraud involves. Engaging in unethical practices to win a legal case can be associated with various forms of misconduct, such as perjury or obstruction of justice, but isn't explicitly defined as fraud. Making false statements under oath, while a serious offense, relates more specifically to perjury. The focus on deceit and misrepresentation in the definition of fraud best captures its essence and legal repercussions.