Sorry, but this is actually a message board for questions about the
database program "Access".

But, I don't think there is any law stopping you creating a Hotmail
(or any other email account) with a false name, even if that name is
someone else's real name.

Is the email spam? If so, it is probably a random choice of name on
the part of the spammers, or possibly someone you know has got a virus
which is lifting bits of names from their address book and using them
to fake the "From" field of an email.

If the wording of the email is actually someone pretending to be your
wife then I think there are three solutions:
1) someone you know is playing a joke of some kind
2) your wife really has set up an email account and really did send
the mail
3) someone else with the same name as your wife has set up the account
and sent the mail to your friend accidentally.

If the email is defamatory to you or your wife, you may be able to
trace it via your friend's ISP.

That's just my opinion. I doubt you'll get more than opinion here, as
this a message board about MS Access, but good luck.