Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1656 Conversion or Surrender of Vessel
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 81 — PIRACY AND PRIVATEERING › § 1656
Summary
Stealing a ship or cargo worth $50 or more at sea, or giving a ship to pirates, by a captain or crew can be punished by a fine, up to 10 years' imprisonment, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1656
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, being a captain or other officer or mariner of a vessel upon the high seas or on any other waters within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, piratically or feloniously runs away with such vessel, or with any goods or merchandise thereof, to the value of $50 or over; or Whoever yields up such vessel voluntarily to any pirate— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 497 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 306, 35 Stat. 1148). Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000” in last par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1656
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102