Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§35 Imparting or Conveying False Information
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 2 — AIRCRAFT AND MOTOR VEHICLES › § 35
Summary
Makes it illegal to knowingly give or cause others to give false information about an attempt or alleged attempt to commit certain federal crimes. The United States can bring a civil lawsuit and collect a fine up to $1,000 for that. If the false report is done on purpose with bad intent or with reckless disregard for people’s safety, the person may be fined under federal law, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §35
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Whoever imparts or conveys or causes to be imparted or conveyed false information, knowing the information to be false, concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made or to be made, to do any act which would be a crime prohibited by this chapter or chapter 97 or chapter 111 of this title shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 which shall be recoverable in a civil action brought in the name of the United States.
(b)Whoever willfully and maliciously, or with reckless disregard for the safety of human life, imparts or conveys or causes to be imparted or conveyed false information, knowing the information to be false, concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made or to be made, to do any act which would be a crime prohibited by this chapter or chapter 97 or chapter 111 of this title—shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”. 1965—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–64 substituted “subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 which shall be recoverable in a civil action brought in the name of the United States” for “fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both”. 1961—Pub. L. 87–338 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), struck out “willfully” before “imparts or conveys”, and added subsec. (b).
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 35
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102