Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1915 Compromise of Customs Liabilities
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 93 — PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES › § 1915
Summary
A U.S. officer who, without legal permission, settles or cancels a customs claim for fines, penalties, or seized property, or who tries to do so, or who frees or tries to free a person, ship, vehicle, goods, or luggage from that claim, can be fined, jailed for up to two years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1915
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, being an officer of the United States, without lawful authority compromises or abates or attempts to compromise or abate any claim of the United States arising under the customs laws for any fine, penalty or forfeiture, or in any manner relieves or attempts to relieve any person, vessel, vehicle, merchandise or baggage therefrom, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on section 1616 of title 19, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Customs Duties (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 616, 46 Stat. 757). Designation of the offense as a felony was omitted as unnecessary in view of definitive section 1 of this title. (See reviser’s note under section 550 of this title.) Words “and upon conviction thereof” were also omitted as unnecessary, since punishment could not be imposed until after conviction. Changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1915
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102