Conspiracy charges are a bit different than other criminal charges. They can be used on their own or in conjunction with these other charges. It all depends on the unique details of the case.
One of the most important things to remember about conspiracy charges is that they can be leveled even when the intended illegal action was never completed. Succeeding in the criminal conspiracy is not a requirement for arrest. The police do not have to wait until the crime has happened to make an arrest.
Moreover, you may argue that you never actually broke the law. Even if that is true, you could still face conspiracy charges.
What elements are necessary?
There are two basic elements that are necessary for a conspiracy charge. First, multiple people have worked together to discuss a criminal act and how they plan to carry it out. Second, at least one member of the conspiracy has taken a singular step toward the completion of that goal. The step may not be illegal itself, but it still furthers the conspiracy.
For instance, maybe you and someone else have been accused of coming up with an identity theft scheme that involves a phishing email. You have written the email and prepared to send it out, but then the authorities discovered the conspiracy and arrested you. They are charging you with conspiracy to commit identity theft and related financial crimes. Because you discussed your intentions and wrote the email, you may still be guilty of the conspiracy, even if you never actually defrauded anyone because the email was not sent.
This hypothetical situation helps to demonstrate how complex these cases can be and why you need to know about all of your defense options.