PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

An official who is allowed to give oaths or certify signatures must not knowingly make a false statement or certificate saying someone appeared before them, took an oath, or about the financial status of people involved in government business like proposals, contracts, bonds, or similar matters when the law requires an oath. If they do, they can be fined, go to jail for up to two years, or both.

Title 18, §1016

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, being an officer authorized to administer oaths or to take and certify acknowledgments, knowingly makes any false acknowledgment, certificate, or statement concerning the appearance before him or the taking of an oath or affirmation by any person with respect to any proposal, contract, bond, undertaking, or other matter submitted to, made with, or taken on behalf of the United States or any department or agency thereof, concerning which an oath or affirmation is required by law or lawful regulation, or with respect to the financial standing of any principal, surety, or other party to any such proposal, contract, bond, undertaking, or other instrument, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 75 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 31, 35 Stat. 1094). Words “or of any department or agency thereof” were inserted after “United States” so as to remove any ambiguity as to scope of section. (See definitions of “department” and “agency” in section 6 of this title.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $2,000”.

§1016 Acknowledgment of Appearance or Oath