PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

It is a crime to knowingly use a forged or fake power of attorney or other false paper to demand or try to get money, shares of public stock, or other payments the United States owes—like annuities, dividends, pensions, wages, gratuities, or other debts. If convicted, a person can be fined, jailed for up to five years, or both. If the amount taken or attempted is $1,000 or less, the jail time is up to one year (or a fine, or both).

Title 18, §1003

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever knowingly and fraudulently demands or endeavors to obtain any share or sum in the public stocks of the United States, or to have any part thereof transferred, assigned, sold, or conveyed, or to have any annuity, dividend, pension, wages, gratuity, or other debt due from the United States, or any part thereof, received, or paid by virtue of any false, forged, or counterfeited power of attorney, authority, or instrument, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; but if the sum or value so obtained or attempted to be obtained does not exceed $1,000, he shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 79 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 34, 35 Stat. 1095). Words “prize money” were deleted on the ground that they are an anachronism and were so before 1909. (See reviser’s note under section 915 of this title.) Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. The smaller punishment for an offense involving $100 or less was added. (See reviser’s note to section 641 and 645 of this title.) The maximum term of “five years” was substituted for “ten years” and “$10,000” was substituted for “$5,000” as being more in harmony with punishment provision of similar sections. (See reviser’s note under section 1001 of this title.) Minor changes in phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000” after “instrument, shall be” and for “fined not more than $1,000” after “he shall be”.

§1003 Demands Against the United States