Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§1040 Fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 47— - FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS › § 1040
Summary
Makes it a crime to knowingly lie, hide important facts, or use fake papers to get benefits tied to a major disaster or emergency when the benefit crosses state or international lines, is mailed at any point, or is a U.S. government record, payment, or thing of value. “Benefit” means records, vouchers, payments, money, goods, services, rights, or privileges given by the United States, a state or local government, or another entity.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1040
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Whoever, in a circumstance described in subsection (b) of this section, knowingly—
(1)falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device any material fact; or
(2)makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, or makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation,
(b)A circumstance described in this subsection is any instance where—
(1)the authorization, transportation, transmission, transfer, disbursement, or payment of the benefit is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce;
(2)the benefit is transported in the mail at any point in the authorization, transportation, transmission, transfer, disbursement, or payment of that benefit; or
(3)the benefit is a record, voucher, payment, money, or thing of value of the United States, or of any department or agency thereof.
(c)In this section, the term “benefit” means any record, voucher, payment, money or thing of value, good, service, right, or privilege provided by the United States, a State or local government, or other entity.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1040
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73