Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§335 Circulation of obligations of expired corporations

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 17— - COINS AND CURRENCY › § 335

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Knowingly issuing or putting into circulation any bill, note, check, draft, or other security that claims to be made by a corporation created by an Act of Congress whose charter has expired is a crime. It applies to directors, officers, trustees, agents, or anyone holding the corporation’s property to pay its obligations. The person can be fined or jailed for up to five years, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §335

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, being a director, officer, or agent of a corporation created by Act of Congress, the charter of which has expired, or trustee thereof, or an agent of such trustee, or a person having in his possession or under his control the property of such corporation for the purpose of paying or redeeming its notes and obligations, knowingly issues, reissues, or utters as money, or in any other way knowingly puts in circulation any bill, note, check, draft, or other security purporting to have been made by any such corporation, or by any officer thereof, or purporting to have been made under authority derived therefrom, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 289 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 174, 35 Stat. 1122). The reference to persons aiding was omitted as unnecessary, since such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title. The last sentence excepting bona fide holders in due course was omitted as surplusage. Other changes in phraseology also were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 335

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73