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Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102

§1163 Embezzlement and Theft From Indian Tribal Organizations

Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 53 — INDIANS › § 1163

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes it a crime to steal, take, secretly use, misuse, or allow others to misuse money, goods, or other property that belongs to an Indian tribal organization or that is held by its officers, employees, or agents. It also punishes anyone who knows the property was taken that way and then hides, keeps, or uses it. The penalty can be a fine, up to 5 years in prison, or both. If the property's value is $1,000 or less, the prison term is up to 1 year. Indian tribal organization — a tribe, band, or Indian community covered by U.S. Indian laws, or a corporation, association, or group formed under those laws.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §1163

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever embezzles, steals, knowingly converts to his use or the use of another, willfully misapplies, or willfully permits to be misapplied, any of the moneys, funds, credits, goods, assets, or other property belonging to any Indian tribal organization or intrusted to the custody or care of any officer, employee, or agent of an Indian tribal organization; or Whoever, knowing any such moneys, funds, credits, goods, assets, or other property to have been so embezzled, stolen, converted, misapplied or permitted to be misapplied, receives, conceals, or retains the same with intent to convert it to his use or the use of another— Shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; but if the value of such property does not exceed the sum of $1,000, he shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. As used in this section, the term “Indian tribal organization” means any tribe, band, or community of Indians which is subject to the laws of the United States relating to Indian affairs or any corporation, association, or group which is organized under any of such laws.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100” in third par. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322, in third par., substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” after “Shall be” and for “fined not more than $1,000” after “he shall be”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 1163

Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102