§494 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

Makes it a crime to make, change, forge, or create fake bonds, bids, contracts, guarantees, official records, affidavits, or similar documents to cheat the United States. It is also a crime to use, possess, give, send, or present those false documents to a U.S. office or official when you know they are fake. A person convicted can be fined under federal law, jailed for up to 10 years, or both.

Title 18, §494

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any bond, bid, proposal, contract, guarantee, security, official bond, public record, affidavit, or other writing for the purpose of defrauding the United States; or Whoever utters or publishes as true or possesses with intent to utter or publish as true, any such false, forged, altered, or counterfeited writing, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, or counterfeited; or Whoever transmits to, or presents at any office or to any officer of the United States, any such false, forged, altered, or counterfeited writing, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, or counterfeited— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 72 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 28, 35 Stat. 1094). Reference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title. Changes were also made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.

§494 Contractors’ bonds, bids, and public records