PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

It is a crime on the high seas or in the United States to knowingly plan with others—whether those others are inside or outside the U.S.—to wreck or destroy a ship to harm someone who insured the ship or its cargo, or who lent money using the ship as security (bottomry/respondentia). It is also a crime for someone in the United States to build or outfit a ship to be wrecked for those same reasons. The punishment can be a fine, up to ten years in prison, or both.

Title 18, §2271

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, on the high seas, or within the United States, willfully and corruptly conspires, combines, and confederates with any other person, such other person being either within or without the United States, to cast away or otherwise destroy any vessel, with intent to injure any person that may have underwritten or may thereafter underwrite any policy of insurance thereon or on goods on board thereof, or with intent to injure any person that has lent or advanced, or may lend or advance, any money on such vessel on bottomry or respondentia; or Whoever, within the United States, builds, or fits out any vessel to be cast away or destroyed, with like intent— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 487 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 296, 35 Stat. 1146). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Reference to a person who “aids in building or fitting out any vessel” was omitted as unnecessary in view of section 2 making all aiders guilty as principal. Changes in phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000” in last par.

§2271 Conspiracy to Destroy Vessels