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

Summary

It makes it a crime, in a dispute between a foreign government and the United States, to purposely give a false statement while under oath—spoken or written—to an official who can administer oaths, if the person knows or should know the lie could be used to influence a foreign government, its agents, or U.S. action in a way that harms the United States. The penalty can be a fine, up to 10 years in prison, or both.

Title 18, §954

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, in relation to any dispute or controversy between a foreign government and the United States, willfully and knowingly makes any untrue statement, either orally or in writing, under oath before any person authorized and empowered to administer oaths, which the affiant has knowledge or reason to believe will, or may be used to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government, or of any officer or agent of any foreign government, to the injury of the United States, or with a view or intent to influence any measure of or action by the United States or any department or agency thereof, to the injury of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on section 231 of title 22, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Foreign Relations and Intercourse (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title VIII, § 1, 40 Stat. 226; Mar. 28, 1940, ch. 72, § 6, 54 Stat. 80). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Words “department or agency” were added to eliminate any possible ambiguity as to scope of section. (See definitive section 6 of this title.) Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

§954 False statements influencing foreign government