Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§1202 Ransom money

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 55— - KIDNAPPING › § 1202

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

It makes it a crime to knowingly get, keep, move, or spend money or property that was ever paid as ransom for a kidnapping. It also makes it a crime to move those proceeds across state or national borders, or to receive, hide, or dispose of them after they cross a border, when the kidnapping is a state offense punishable by more than 1 year. Punishment: a fine, up to 10 years in prison, or both. State — the legal meaning used elsewhere in federal law.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §1202

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever receives, possesses, or disposes of any money or other property, or any portion thereof, which has at any time been delivered as ransom or reward in connection with a violation of section 1201 of this title, knowing the same to be money or property which has been at any time delivered as such ransom or reward, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(b)A person who transports, transmits, or transfers in interstate or foreign commerce any proceeds of a kidnapping punishable under State law by imprisonment for more than 1 year, or receives, possesses, conceals, or disposes of any such proceeds after they have crossed a State or United States boundary, knowing the proceeds to have been unlawfully obtained, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined under this title, or both.
(c)For purposes of this section, the term “State” has the meaning set forth in section 245(d) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 408c–1 (June 22, 1932, ch. 271, § 4, as added Jan. 24, 1936, ch. 29, 49 Stat. 1099). Words “in the penitentiary” after “imprisoned” were omitted in view of section 4082 of this title committing prisoners to the custody of the Attorney General. (See reviser’s note under section 1 of this title.) Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322, § 320601(b), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsecs. (b) and (c). Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(L), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 1202

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73