Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§1163 Embezzlement and Theft From Indian Tribal Organizations
Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 53— INDIANS › § 1163
Summary
It is a crime to take, use, misuse, let others misuse, or knowingly accept money or other property that belongs to a tribal organization or trusted to a tribal official. Penalty: a fine and/or up to 5 years in prison; if the property is $1,000 or less, up to 1 year. An "Indian tribal organization" means a tribe, band, community, or group under U.S. Indian law.
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
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60